Latest news with #Counter-TerrorismPanel
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Pakistan should seek India's help if it can't deal with terror on its soil: Rajnath Singh in Dehradun
Pointing to Operation Sindoor as a sign of change in the country's attitude towards national security, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday at an event in Dehradun that over the last 11 years, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has transformed India's security apparatus. He called Operation Sindoor the biggest action taken against terrorism in Indian history. He also spoke of his connection to Uttarakhand. 'I have a relationship with Uttarakhand. When Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh became two, I was the chief minister of UP… We have especially focused on the development of border states because it is important for national security, and the residents here are a strategic asset for the country,' Singh said while addressing a dialogue on the topic 'National Security and Terrorism' hosted by Amar Ujala. He talked of the different paths taken by India and Pakistan in the aftermath of Independence. 'India and Pakistan got independence at the same time, but today, India has been recognised as the 'mother of democracy', while Pakistan has emerged as the father of global terrorism. Pakistan has always given shelter to terrorists, trained them on its soil and helped them… It is important that we eliminate these terrorists and their entire infrastructure,' the Defence Minister said. 'Aapne dekha unhone yahan dharm puchke maara, par humne unke dharm dekhke nahi, karm dekh kar maara (They killed people here after asking about religion. But we attacked them for their actions, not their religion). It was an attack on the social unity of the country as well,' Singh said, referring to the April 22 terror attack in south Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians were shot dead. Operation Sindoor was carried out as part of India's response to the Pahalgam attack. Urging the international community to stop funding Pakistan, he said that a large part of this financial aid is spent on terrorism. 'Pakistan is a nursery of terrorism. It should not be nourished,' he said. Expressing shock at the recent decision by the United Nations Security Council to name Pakistan as the vice-chair of the Counter-Terrorism Panel, he said, 'Pakistan had sheltered the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. Its land has been used as a refuge for global terrorist organisations. There, terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar roam around openly, and senior officers of the Pakistan Army attend the funerals of terrorists. Now, the same country is expected to lead the global community against terrorism… The United Nations Security Council's action is like asking the cat to guard the milk.' He said Pakistan should seek India's help if it is unable to take action against terrorism on its soil. 'The Indian Armed Forces are capable of taking effective action against terrorism on either side of the border, which was witnessed by Pakistan itself during Operation Sindoor,' he said. The Defence Minister said the weapons used during Operation Sindoor were made in India. 'Today, India is not only protecting its borders, but is also creating a system that is making us strategically, economically and technically strong. Earlier, we were completely dependent on foreign defence equipment, but today India is rapidly becoming Aatmanirbhar in defence,' he said. The defence budget was scaled up from Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 6.22 lakh crore in FY 2024-25, and 75% of the budget was reserved for capital procurement from domestic companies and the issuance of a total of 10 Positive Indigenisation Lists, comprising over 5,500 items. 'Today, the Indian Armed Forces use state-of-the-art weapons, missiles, tanks and other systems/platforms manufactured within the country. Our indigenous missiles such as Agni, Prithvi and BrahMos stand ready to give a befitting reply to the enemy. We also have the strength to build aircraft carriers such as INS Vikrant,' he said. He also said that defence production, which was around Rs 40,000 crore in 2014, has crossed a record figure of Rs 1.30 lakh crore today; and defence exports, which were Rs 686 crore in 14, have skyrocketed to Rs 23,622 crore in FY 2024-25. He further said defence products made in India are being exported to nearly 100 countries. 'We have set a target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore defence production this year and Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029. Our defence exports should reach Rs 30,000 crore this year and Rs 50,000 crore by 2029,' he said.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Like Cat Guarding Milk": India Criticises UN Over Pak's Anti-Terror Panel Role
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today that in recent years, many decisions of the United Nations have been questioned. Speaking at a public event Dehradun on dismantling Pakistan's terror infrastructure, he cited the time when Pakistan was made the Vice-Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Panel by the United Nations Security Council just after the 9/11 attack. "It is not hidden from anyone that Pakistan had sheltered the mastermind of that attack. This is kind of like making a cat guard the milk," he said. But since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, the government has "changed the attitude and method of action" on issues related to national security. The latest and best example of this is Operation Sindoor, he said, calling it the "biggest action against terrorism in Indian history". Calling Pakistan the "Father of Terrorism" he said it has always given shelter to terrorists, given them training and many kinds of help on its soil. To eliminate the terror infrastructure, "it is also important to expose the countries that fund and shelter terrorism in the world today," he said. A large part of the financial aid Pakistan receives is spent on terrorism and the world is now waking up to this, he said. But it is necessary that the United Nations, which has "a big responsibility in the fight against terrorism" remain on the same page. "Unfortunately, in recent years, many decisions of the UN have been questioned," he added.
