Page 19 - Rajnath Singh

India successfully flight-tests Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile: DRDO

India on Thursday successfully flight-tested the Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur off the coast of Odisha, the DRDO said. During the test, all subsystems performed as per expectation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO for the successful test flight of the ITCM. He stated that the successful development of the indigenous long-range subsonic cruise missile powered by indigenous propulsion is a major milestone for Indian defence R&D. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said that the performance of the missile was monitored by several Range Sensors such as Radar, Electro Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and Telemetry deployed by the Integrated Test Range at various locations to ensure complete coverage of the flight path. The flight of the missile was also monitored from the Su-30-Mk-I aircraft of the Indian Air Force, they said. The missile followed the desired path using waypoint navigation an

Rahul Gandhi has no courage to contest from Amethi, says Rajnath Singh

Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Thursday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that after his defeat from Amethi Lok Sabha seat in 2019, he does not have the courage to stand from there this time. Singh said Gandhi, following his defeat, migrated to Kerala from Uttar Pradesh. "However, I have heard that the people of Wayanad have decided not to make him their MP," he claimed while speaking at an election meeting in the Pathanamathitta Lok Sabha constituency to garner support for BJP candidate Anil K Antony. Singh also said that while various space programmes and projects were being launched in the country, "the launching of Congress' young leader has not happened for the last 20 years". "The Congress party's 'Rahulyaan' has neither been launched nor has it landed anywhere," he said taking a dig at the Congress MP from Wayanad. During his speech, Singh praised Congress stalwart A K Antony and called him a disciplined and principled person whose honesty and integri

Those who opposed Lord Ram in India faced downfall, says Rajnath Singh

Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh claimed on Wednesday that whoever in India has opposed Lord Ram has faced downfall, which is what has happened to the Congress and CPI(M) in the country. Singh alleged that both the parties, which are allies in the INDIA bloc, do not understand the importance of Lord Ram or the festival of Ram Navami. "They have created hurdles in celebration of Ram Navami. We all know that whosoever has ever opposed Lord Ram faced downfall in the country. That is what has happened to Congress and CPI(M)," he alleged at an election meeting. He also claimed there was no difference in words and deeds of the BJP which was the most credible political party in the country. However, the words and deeds of the Congress and Communist parties were different. The minister also expressed confidence that the BJP will win seats in double digits from Kerala in the Lok Sabha polls. The Lok Sabha elections will be held in Kerala on April 26 and the results will be declared on June

Here's what US said on PM Modi's 'ghar mein ghus k...' remark on terrorism

The United States' response comes after PM Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's recent statements saying India won't hesitate to eliminate terrorists in their homes

Encourage India, Pak to find resolution: US on alleged anti-terror ops

Quizzed about reported statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on crossing borders to kill terrorists, the Biden administration said the US would not involve itself on the matter but encouraged India and Pakistan to avoid any escalation and find a resolution through dialogue. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was responding to questions at a news conference on Tuesday on alleged operations by India in other countries to eliminate terrorists. When asked if Modi and Singh's comments can be seen as confessions on the alleged assassination of (Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh) Nijjar in Canada, (designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh) Pannu's murder-for-hire plot in New York, and killings in Pakistan, Miller said the US will not get involved in the matter. The United States is not going to get into the middle of this, but we do encourage both India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue, the State ...

India capable of hitting targets within and across border: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership has shown to the world that it has the power to hit its targets within and across the border in the aftermath of Uri and Pulwama terror attacks. The terrorists attacked an army camp in the border town of Uri in September 2016, resulting in the killing of 19 soldiers. A fortnight later, the Indian Army carried out a surgical strike across the border and destroyed launch pads for terrorists. In February 2019, over 40 CRPF personnel were killed in a suicide attack on their convoy by the terrorists in Pulwama district of south Kashmir. Twelve days after the attack, the Indian Air Force (AIF) destroyed the terrorist camp in Balakote, Pakistan. Addressing an election rally in support of BJP candidate Jitendra Singh here, he said, Earlier India was considered as a soft stateIndia has neither attacked any country nor occupied any foreign land which is its character." "But when Uri and Pulwam

BJP's Sankalp Patra seen as gold standard in world politics: Rajnath Singh

Union minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that the BJP has earned credibility among people by fulfilling its commitments, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantees are seen as pure as 24 carat gold. Speaking at the release of the party's 'Sankalp Patra', Singh said the BJP's manifesto is seen as gold standard in the world politics. He cited a host of development measures taken by the central government besides the enactment of women's reservation law, repeal of Article 370 and the construction of Ram temple to assert that the ruling party has fulfilled its promises. Singh is the chairperson of the BJP's manifesto committee for the Lok Sabha polls. The committee received over 15 lakh suggestions, he said.

Congress to become extinct like dinosaur in few years, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh claimed on Friday that the Congress will become extinct like the dinosaur in a few years. The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader compared the infighting within the Congress to the house of television reality show "Bigg Boss", saying the leaders of the party are tearing each other's clothes on a daily basis. "The exodus of leaders from the Congress continues. They are quitting the party one after another and joining the BJP. I am afraid that in a few years from now, the Congress will become extinct like the dinosaur. In a few years after 2024, if we take the name of the Congress, children will ask, who?" Singh said, addressing a rally in Uttarakhand's Gauchar in support of Anil Baluni, the BJP candidate from the Pauri seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "They (Congress leaders) are fighting with each other on a daily basis. The party has become somewhat like the house of Bigg Boss on television. They are tearing each other's clothes on a daily

BJP doesn't discriminate between Hindus and Muslims, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the BJP does not discriminate between Hindus and Muslims and that the respect of women is of paramount importance to it, citing the ban on triple talaq. He was addressing a public meeting in Rewa Lok Sabha seat, where his party has fielded sitting MP Janardhan Mishra against Congress' Neelam Mishra. Singh also batted for the one nation, one election' idea and called the track record of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government remarkable. People say the BJP always talks of Hindus and Muslims. I want to say that we do not discriminate between Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Jews, Singh asserted. The defence minister said his party takes along with it all. We believe all born in Bharat are the children of Bharat Mata. We don't discriminate, he said. The allegations of bias against the BJP grew sharper after it declared its intention to ban triple talaq. We did not end it (instant triple talaq) by fooling people. It was our resolve

India now has capability to respond if someone hurts its honour: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday rejected China's attempts' to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh and wondered if provinces in that country would become part of India if it changes their names. In an address at a public rally, Singh also asserted that if someone tries to hurt India's honour and self-respect, then the country now has the capability to respond to it, remarks that came amid the lingering eastern Ladakh border row. Late last month, Beijing announced Chinese names for 30 more places in Arunachal Pradesh which the neighbouring country claims as southern part Tibet. India has already trashed China's action as "senseless". "China has changed the names of 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh and posted it on its website. Sisters and brothers, nothing will happen by changing the names," the defence minister said. "I want to tell my neighbour that if tomorrow we change the names of some states in some parts of of China, will those states of China become ours by changing th

Nobody will lose citizenship due to CAA, says Rajnath Singh in TN

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday asserted that no Indian, irrespective of their faith, will lose citizenship with the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. He charged the opposition Congress and DMK with "creating confusion" over the issue. Rajnath was speaking after taking out a roadshow here in support of the party's Namakkal candidate for the April 19 Lok Sabha elections, KP Ramalingam. The BJP always implemented what it promised and the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya, abrogation of Article 370 and the CAA were such assurances, he said. "We promised a citizenship act, and we did it. I want to clarify that any citizen of India--whether they are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Jew--nobody's citizenship will go away," he said. "The DMK and Congress are creating confusion on the matter," he alleged. On the abolition of triple Talaq, he said "mothers and sisters" from any faith are "our mothers and sisters." "Any atrocity against our mothers and sist

We will enter Pakistan to kill terrorists who flee there: Rajnath Singh

If terrorists try to disturb peace in India or carry out terror activities, a befitting response will be given and if they run away to Pakistan, India will enter the neighbouring country to kill them, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday, referring to New Delhi's assertive approach to deal with cross-border terrorism. The defence minister was responding to a question on a report by British newspaper "The Guardian" that claimed Indian intelligence agencies carried out assassinations of terrorists in Pakistan as part of an emboldened approach to national security after 2019. "If terrorists from the neighbouring country try to disturb the peace in Bharat or try to carry out terror activities in Bharat, we will give them a befitting reply. (Koi bhi terrorist hamare parosi desh se yadi hamare Bharat ko disturb karneki koshish karega, yahan par yadi atankbadi harkate karega, toh uska muh tod jabab denge)," Singh told "CNN News 18". "If they run away to Pakistan, we will enter ...

PM Modi facilitated return of Indian students from Ukraine: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi facilitated the return of 22,500 stranded Indian students from Ukraine after speaking with leaders of Russia, Ukraine and the US, which no other world leader could do. Addressing an election rally in western Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, the veteran BJP leader also lauded Modi for transforming India's reputation on the global stage since becoming prime minister in 2014. "India has become a powerful country. The world did not take India seriously... But our PM Modi has done a miracle. Today when India speaks on the international stage, the whole world listens carefully. This is India's reputation which has grown rapidly," Singh said. Referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has been continuing for the last two years, the defence minister said, "Around 25,000 Indian students were studying in Ukraine. Their parents demanded from our prime minister that the children must be brought back... Every parent in ..

Disengagement, de-escalation is the way forward, says Rajnath Singh

The minister complimented the forces for the high standard of operational preparedness and capabilities

Defence exports scaled to 'unprecedented heights', says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the country's defence exports have scaled to "unprecedented heights" and crossed Rs 21,000 crore-mark for the "first time" in the history of Independent India. "Delighted to inform everyone that the Indian Defence Exports have scaled to unprecedented heights and crossed Rs 21000 crore mark for the first time in the history of Independent India!," he said in a post on X. The Union minister also said that India's defence exports have reached to the level of Rs 21,083 crore in the financial year 2023-24 which is a "spectacular growth" of 32.5 per cent over the previous fiscal. During an interaction with members of the Indian diaspora in Nigeria in May 2023, the defence minister had emphasised on the government's focus on 'Aatmanirbharta' and the "significant progress" made in defence exports in the recent years towards achieving the objective of "Make in India, Make for the World".

LS polls: Cong slams BJP over setting up manifesto panel at 'last moment'

The Congress on Saturday announced that it will release its manifesto on April 5 and took a swipe at the BJP over it setting up a manifesto committee at the "last moment". The BJP on Saturday announced a 27-member committee, which included several Union ministers and chief ministers, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to prepare its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls. Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Congress released its 'Paanch Nyay', 'Pachees Guarantees' on March 16 and its 'Ghar Ghar Guarantee' campaign to distribute eight crore guarantee cards across the country will begin on April 3. The manifesto will be released on April 5, he said. "The BJP's manifesto, begun at this last moment, is merely an exercise in ticking boxes. It reflects the contempt with which the party sees the public," Ramesh alleged. The Congress manifesto was compiled after carrying out nationwide consultations and after receiving thousands of suggestions

Rajnath to head BJP's LS manifesto committee; Sitharaman made convenor

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will head the BJP's 27-member manifesto committee for the Lok Sabha polls as the party brainstorms and seeks suggestions from people across the country for its election promises. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be the committee's convener and another Union minister Piyush Goyal its co-convener. Several other Union ministers, besides chief ministers of states such as Gujarat, Assam and Madhya Pradesh, and seasoned hands like Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Vasundhara Raje are among the members of the committee.

Govt open to change in Agniveer scheme if needed, says Rajnath Singh

As announced, the 'Agnipath' or 'Agniveer' scheme is a process for recruiting soldiers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, to be hired for a term of four years on contract

Centre extends AFSPA in 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh for 6 months

The Ministry made the declaration through a notification, announcing Tirap, Changlang, and Longding among the three districts where AFSPA has been extended for the next six months

Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh extend Holi wishes to countrymen

Holi, a festival celebrated with as much fervour in the country as it is overseas, will be marked on March 25, Monday, this year