New Delhi, Aug 10: In a blistering attack on global trade hostility, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a veiled attack on the US President Donald Trump and his tariff tactics, accusing of making “deliberate attempts” to derail India’s economic rise by targeting Indian-made products through “manipulative hostile trade practices".

“There are people who feel threatened by India’s rapid economic growth,” Rajnath Singh said.

“They see themselves as global overlords. Many are working to box India with hostile trade tactics -- scheming to make Indian goods dearer in international markets so that no one buys them. These are not random acts; they are calculated moves. But let me say this without hesitation,” Rajnath Singh asserted, “no force can stop India from advancing and becoming one of the world’s leading powers".

Rajnath Singh’s remarks, delivered both in public and on his official X handle, reflect a growing confidence in India’s strategic and economic roadmap —particularly in the Defence sector, which he described as a cornerstone of national resurgence.

“When our government was formed in 2014 under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s defence exports, once negligible, have surged to Rs 24,000 crore annually — a record Rajnath Singh attributes to visionary leadership and indigenous innovation.

“We resolved to become self-reliant in Defence. In contrary to the past when we used to import from weapons to fighter jets, now we are not only manufacturing them that we used to import but we are now exporting to other countries. This transformation is a testament to India’s growing capability and confidence.”

He also underscored the sector’s broader economic impact: “The Defence sector is playing a very important role in India’s economic progress. It is not only strengthening our security but also contributing to national growth.”

At the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a new BEML unit in Umaria village of Raisen district, Rajnath Singh highlighted the local benefits of Defence industrialisation.

“This unit will open new employment opportunities and encourage small and large industries linked to it. It will provide jobs to local people and enhance their technical skills and efficiency.”

Referencing Operation Sindoor, Singh sent a clear message to adversaries: “We do not provoke anyone. But if someone provokes us, we do not spare them either.” The tone of his throughout speech was brimming with assertions — India, Rajnath Singh made clear, is no longer a passive player in global affairs. It is a rising power, unwilling to be cornered by out-dated hierarchies or hostile trade regimes.

(IANS)

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