Jammu: Defence minister Rajnath Singh today responded on Pakistan's response to the joint statement by PM Modi and Joe Biden, calling on Pakistan to ensure its territory is not used as a base for terror attacks. He said the Pakistan government should concentrate on getting its country in order instead of speaking about Kashmir.
Pakistan had called the joint statement "unwarranted, one-sided, and misleading". Singh further stressed that the reference to Islamabad was "contrary to diplomatic norms".
Addressing a 'National Security Conclave' in Jammu on June 26, 2023, he asserted that India has witnessed a paradigm shift in its security scenario in the last nine years. He pointed out that India's image in 2013-14 was that of a weak nation which allowed its adversaries to create problems, but today the country has the ability to overcome every threat.
Elaborating on the blueprint on national security, the minister stated that the Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been working on four directive principles- to enable the country to deal with threats to its security & sovereignty; to take every action to protect national interests; to create safe conditions within the country to facilitate progress, improve the lives of the people & fulfil their aspirations and to build an environment with friendly countries to tackle global challenges such as terrorism unitedly.
Singh stated that no stone is being left unturned to equip the military with latest weaponry and modern technology, assuring the Nation that the Armed Forces are fully capable of protecting the borders and the seas. "Our goal is to bring our Armed Forces in the frontline of modern militaries," he said.
"Since long time, Pakistan has tried to destabilise peace and harmony in the country through cross-border terrorism. However, when we came to power, we launched an effective action against terrorism. We showed the world the meaning of 'zero tolerance against terrorism'. The bold and first-of-its-kind moves to eliminate terrorists following the Uri and Pulwama incidents are proof of India's 'zero tolerance against terrorism' policy and the unmatched valour of the Armed Forces. Today, most of the countries are united against terrorism. The joint statement issued after the Prime Minister's meeting with US President Mr Joe Biden is an indication of how India has changed the mind-set of the world on the issue of terrorism," the minister said.
He added that the network of terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir has substantially weakened in the last few years as strict and consistent action is being taken. "Terror funding has been curbed. Supply of arms & drugs to terrorists has been stopped. Along with elimination of terrorists, work is being done to dismantle the network of Under Ground workers," he said.
On the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir, the Raksha Mantri stated that the decision has connected the people of the Union Territory with the country's mainstream and helped them to usher in a new era of peace & progress.
On PoK, Singh said, Pakistan does not have a locus standi there as it has illegally occupied the area. The Indian Parliament has unanimously passed at least three resolutions, which state that PoK is a part of India, he said.
Singh mentioned about the General Electric (GE) Aerospace-Hindustan Aeronautics Limited deal to co-produce F-414 fighter jet engines in India. "With this deal, we will become the fourth country to manufacture jet engines. Tejas aircraft will be fitted with these Made in India engines," he said.
Rejecting speculative reports on the price and other terms of purchase of MQ-9B drones from the US, he stated that the Ministry of Defence will compare the acquisition cost of the drones with the best price General Atomics (GA) offered to other countries. He added that the acquisition will be made only by following the established procurement procedure.
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