India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has stated that India has deployed the maximum number of ships sailing across the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the country’s balanced approach amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
Speaking in Lucknow, he credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for ensuring India’s stability despite global uncertainty and highlighted how the nation has maintained economic momentum even as energy prices and supply chains have been disrupted.
He emphasised that India’s diplomatic ties with both the United States and Iran have safeguarded its strategic interests. Singh remarked that while many countries struggled with rising LPG prices, India managed to avoid major difficulties.
He added that Iran’s missile activity has not directly impacted America, and in this volatile environment, India has played a uniquely balanced role.
The Defence Minister also drew attention to India’s growing economic and defence strength. He noted that the country, once considered economically weak, is now among the top four economies globally. This transformation, he said, reflects India’s resilience and progress.
On defence production, Singh stressed that India is moving towards self-reliance. He explained that while the country previously imported weapons and drones, it has now achieved significant advances in domestic production. He described this as a major step towards becoming truly Atmanirbhar, with defence manufacturing seeing substantial growth.
Later in the day, Singh attended the release of the book Smriti Naad on the 91st birth anniversary of late leader Lalji Tandon. He spoke about Tandon’s life and values, noting that the book contains numerous anecdotes illustrating how Tandon’s personal principles were influenced by great personalities, and how his own life left a lasting impression on many others. Singh admitted he had not read the book in full but had gone through excerpts that conveyed its essence.
He also visited an audio-visual museum set up at the venue, where he inspected digital archives and historical displays. Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana accompanied him during the inspection, marking the occasion with a review of the curated exhibits.
This series of engagements highlighted both India’s strategic positioning in global affairs and its cultural respect for leaders who shaped the nation’s political and social landscape.
ANI
