Seoul, May 20: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh stated that ‘Operation Sindoor’ exemplifies India’s emergence as a strong, confident, and capable nation. He made these remarks while addressing the Indian community in South Korea’s capital, Seoul. Singh emphasized that India will not tolerate terrorism in any form, asserting that the country’s security policy has become bolder, more decisive, and effective than ever before.
Singh reiterated that India adheres to a ‘No First Use’ policy as a responsible nuclear power, but cautioned against misinterpreting the nation’s restraint as weakness. He affirmed India’s commitment to peace, while making it clear that the country will not tolerate any form of nuclear blackmail. “This is a new India,” he declared.
The Defense Minister also highlighted India’s growing global reputation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership over the past decade. He noted that 12-13 years ago, the world viewed India as a weak nation, but today, India asserts itself firmly on the global stage and is taken seriously. Singh remarked that India is becoming a global power center capable of providing solutions to the world.
He pointed out that there has been a fundamental shift in India’s internal and external security policies, which are now more vocal, bold, stable, and decisive. Singh identified self-reliance in the defense sector as one of the government’s top priorities. He reported that in the fiscal year 2025-26, India achieved approximately ₹1.54 lakh crore in defense production and around ₹40,000 crore in defense exports.
He expressed confidence that defense exports will reach ₹50,000 crore in the next 1-2 years, while defense production could soon exceed ₹1.75 lakh crore. In Seoul, Singh co-chaired the India-South Korea Defense Industry Business Roundtable with South Korea’s Minister of Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Lee Yong. The meeting included senior government officials and representatives from the defense industry of both countries, discussing new opportunities in detail.
Singh underscored the rapidly evolving ecosystem of the Indian defense industry and the opportunities available under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. He called on South Korean companies to enhance long-term partnerships with Indian industries, stating that there are immense possibilities for reliable and long-term collaborations between the two nations. “Now is the time to advance this model in the defense sector, where technology, innovation, manufacturing capability, and strategic trust are deeply interconnected,” he said.
He noted that the technological excellence of South Korea combined with India’s vast manufacturing capacity, talent, and innovative power can play a crucial role in developing advanced defense technologies and systems for the future. Singh emphasized that in the changing global landscape, the strategic importance of reliable partnerships among technologically capable nations has increased. India and South Korea can play a significant role together in this direction.
The Defense Minister also remarked that the modern defense sector is no longer limited to traditional weapons and platforms. Today, the defense ecosystem is based on cutting-edge technologies such as AI, autonomous systems, cyber technology, sensors, semiconductors, quantum technology, advanced materials, and space-based capabilities.
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