Rajnath Singh Assumes Charge as India's Defence Minister for Second Term
STORIES, ANALYSES, EXPERT VIEWS
Rajnath Singh assumed charge as India's defence minister for the second consecutive term on June 13. He was welcomed at South Block in New Delhi by his deputy Sanjay Seth, who was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan; Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande; Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari; Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi; Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane; Secretary (Ex-servicemen Welfare) Dr Niten Chandra; Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat and other officials of Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Vision: Talking to reporters on the occasion, the defence minister outlined his vision for the next five years and stated that focus would be on carrying forward the priority areas with renewed thrust to establish a more secure, self-reliant and prosperous nation. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our aim will be to further strengthen the security apparatus of the country, with focus on achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Armed Forces modernisation and the welfare of the soldiers, both serving and retired, will continue to be our main focus,” he said.
Rajnath Singh added that the objective will be to increase defence exports in the times to come. “Defence exports had touched a record Rs 21,083 crore in Financial Year 2023-24. It was historic. Our target will be to export over Rs 50,000 crore worth of defence equipment by 2028-2029,” he said. The defence minister asserted that the Armed Forces are being equipped with state-of-the-art weapons/platforms and they are ready to face every challenge. He commended the military personnel for protecting the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation with valour & commitment.
Review meeting on the first 100 days’ Action Plan of MoD: Immediately after assumption of charge, Rajnath Singh chaired a review meeting on the first 100 days’ Action Plan of MoD under the new government led by the Prime Minister. The meeting focused on the welfare of veterans, wherein major issues pertaining to the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare were discussed. He instructed the officers to re-dedicate themselves to fulfill the agenda laid out in the 100 days’ Action Plan.
With a view to enhance defence preparedness and continued thrust on Aatmanirbharta in Defence, the Raksha Mantri stated that he will be conducting regular review meetings to fast-track the progress of the flagship schemes and the initiatives of MoD. Emphasising the growing salience of the Indian Ocean Region in the defence calculus, the Raksha Mantri has decided on his first visit in this tenure to the Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam, wherein he will be interacting with the officers and sailors.
MoS assumes charge: On June 11, Sanjay Seth assumed charge of the office of Minister of State, Ministry of Defence. Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence received Sanjay Seth and accompanied him into his South Block office. On this occasion, Sanjay Seth said he looked forward to serving under the guidance of defence minister Rajnath Singh, with whom he had earlier worked in various capacities.
Sanjay Seth said he would strive towards fulfillment of several initiatives of the Ministry of Defence that are aimed at strengthening the Nation’s security. Prior to assuming charge, Sanjay Seth called on Rajnath Singh at his official residence in New Delhi. Sanjay Seth is a second-time Member of Parliament from Ranchi Lok Sabha constituency. He was elected from the same constituency in 2019, and was a member of Standing Committee on Information Technology. Shri Sanjay Seth was also member, Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes. Shri Sanjay Seth was Chairman, Jharkhand State Khadi and Village Industries Board from 2016-2019.
(Courtesy: Defence.Capital)
