Hyderabad: Defence minister Rajnath Singh said India had never compromised when its pride and dignity were at stake, citing the country’s swift responses to terror attacks—from Operation Sindoor this year to the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot air strikes.“We did not ask the dharma of terrorists—we targeted terror, not civilians or military establishments during Operation Sindoor, demonstrating India’s unwavering resolve to safeguard its citizens and territorial integrity,” he said. Addressing the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) Connect-2025 event in Hyderabad on Friday, Singh highlighted India’s growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing. “Today, India manufactures everything from toys to tanks. From Tejas fighter jets to Akash missiles and Arjun tanks, our armed forces are increasingly being equipped with made-in-India platforms,” he said. Defence exports, he said, had risen from approximately Rs 600 crore in 2014 to over Rs 24,000 crore today, and were expected to cross Rs 50,000 crore by 2029. “India’s growing military and economic strength is not meant to assert dominance over others, but to protect its cultural values, spiritual traditions, and the humane ideals taught by Lord Mahavira,” he said.The Union minister also pointed to recent developments under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership, including the agreement to procure 97 light combat aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, with more than 64% indigenous content. “India is rapidly progressing towards becoming the world’s manufacturing hub. The day is not far when India will emerge as the ‘factory of the world’. And all this is possible because the govt’s intentions are clear and its policies are in the national interest,” he said. Telangana industries minister D Sridhar Babu praised the state as a model for ethical and sustainable industrial development. “Telangana is not waiting for the future—it is building the future,” he said, highlighting the state’s strong policy framework, robust infrastructure, and investor-friendly governance. He urged business leaders to explore Telangana before investing elsewhere, citing the state’s innovation ecosystem and administrative efficiency. Speaking about socially meaningful innovation, Sridhar Babu said, “The real unicorn is not a company valued at a billion dollars, but one that touches the lives of a billion people,” urging young entrepreneurs to combine the Jain community’s spirit of ‘seva’ with Telangana’s innovation ecosystem to create a global model of ethical growth. Min all praise for JainsUnion minister Rajnath Singh lauded the Jain community’s contributions to nation building. “Jains constitute just 0.5% of India’s population, but they account for 24% of tax revenue,” he said, praising their ‘learn, earn and return’ philosophy and commitment to education, minority welfare, and environmental awareness. He highlighted great Jain personalities such as Vikram Sarabhai, DS Kothari, Jagdish Chandra Jain, and Meenakshi Jain, whose legacies continue to inspire the nation. The minister also commended efforts to preserve Jain heritage, including repatriating over 20 stolen Tirthankara idols and recognising the Prakrit language as a classical language of India. Urging citizens to draw inspiration from Lord Mahavira’s teachings, he said: “Non-violence, truth, and ‘aparigraha’ (non-possessiveness) should guide India as it marches towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.”
