Defence Street 
- National security not just about safeguarding borders, Govt has adopted holistic approach to bolster defence preparedness against highly fluid emerging threats: Raksha Mantri
- “India possesses both ‘Power of Argument’ & ‘Argument of Power’, will respond in the language best understood by other party”
- Our counter-terrorism approach has evolved beyond ‘strategic containment’ & ‘deterrence by denial’ towards ‘deterrence by punishment’, says Shri Rajnath Singh
- “Any terror attack originating from Pakistani soil will be considered an ‘Act of War’ against India and will be met with a deserving response”
- “India is a peace-loving nation, yet it must always be prepared to safeguard its integrity & sovereignty”
- “Aatmanirbharta key to robust national security, Govt working with the vision of ‘Design in India,’ ‘Develop in India’, ‘Manufacture in India’”
“To view national security solely in terms of safeguarding geographical boundaries amounts to ‘Perimeter Fallacy’,” said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh as he reaffirmed Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s commitment to further bolster the country’s defence preparedness and equip the military for emerging & future challenges. Addressing a defence conclave in New Delhi on September 24, 2026, he emphasised that modern-day challenges encompass the use of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles, cyber-attacks, lone wolf attacks, and disinformation campaigns, in addition to the utilisation of arms and artillery by adversaries. He added that national security is linked to economic & energy security, and hostile actors may attempt to harm the economy or disrupt energy supply chains. “We’ve adopted a holistic approach to tackle these highly fluid threats,” he said.
Raksha Mantri stressed that the concepts of strength and peace, which were never seen as contradictory in Indian tradition, were viewed as mutually exclusive alternatives by some leaders after independence. He noted that several wars imposed upon India were a lesson that security policy cannot be formulated based on wishful thinking; it requires taking into account ground realities and national interests. He pointed out that some leaders had operated under the assumption that just like India, everyone else bats for peace, underlining that this mindset has changed under PM Modi’s leadership.
“We’ve made it clear that the nation possesses both ‘power of argument’ and ‘argument of power’, and we will communicate through whichever language the other party understands best. Today, while we work towards establishing global peace through diplomacy, we are simultaneously strengthening our defence and strategic capabilities to counter any potential threat. Events such as Surgical Strikes, Balakot air strike, and Operation Sindoor demonstrated that we possess the necessary capability and resolve to safeguard our national interests… India is a peace-loving nation that has never advocated for war. Yet, we must always remain prepared to safeguard our integrity & sovereignty, and protect our citizens,” stated Shri Rajnath Singh.
Raksha Mantri highlighted that military preparedness without diplomacy can lead to confrontation and a security dilemma, whereas proceeding solely on the basis of diplomacy, without requisite capability, is perceived as a sign of weakness and is detrimental to national security. He termed a balance between the two aspects as essential.
Shri Rajnath Singh enumerated the efforts taken by the Government to ensure strategic autonomy and national security while advancing towards the goal of Aatmanirbharta in defence. “Through QUAD, we’re working towards a free, open, and rule-based Indo-Pacific. Through I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE and USA), we’ve advanced cooperation in new areas. Our active participation in multilateral organisations such as BIMSTEC, BRICS, and SCO has also increased. We’ve strengthened strategic partnerships, created new platforms for cooperation, and expanded diplomatic reach on the global stage,” he explained.
Through actions like ‘Operation Sindoor’, Raksha Mantri said the Government has made it clear that India no longer tolerates nuclear blackmail. He emphasised that terrorism and talks cannot go hand in hand; nor can terrorism and trade coexist. “We’ve also conveyed the message that no border can prevent us from dismantling terrorist infrastructure. No distinction will be made between terrorists and their sponsors. By suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, we’ve made it clear that blood and water cannot flow together. Our approach has now evolved beyond ‘strategic containment’ and ‘deterrence by denial’ towards ‘deterrence by punishment’,” he added.
Shri Rajnath Singh stated that India articulated its new policy against terrorism through Op Sindoor. “Any terror attack originating from Pakistani soil will be considered an ‘Act of War’ against India. Those contemplating any form of misadventure will be met with a response they deserve,” he said.
Raksha Mantri underlined that the physical power of any state rests on two pillars, a robust economy and a strong military. “When the economy is strong, more resources become available for national security and defence preparedness. Only when a nation is secure do the conditions become favourable for advancing development initiatives. National security and national development complement each other,” he said.
Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted that India's economy is growing at a rate of 7.8 percent, and the country is now among the top five economies. Besides bolstering the economy, he listed the measures taken to augment the defence sector, including a nearly three-fold increase in defence budget from approximately Rs 2.50 lakh crore in Financial Year (FY) 2013-14 to a record Rs 7.85 lakh crore in FY 2026-27. He noted that defence production has surged to an all-time high of approximately Rs 1.80 lakh crore, with the Defence Forces witnessing continuous modernisation, Ordnance factories undergoing complete transformation, and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) registering profits.
Describing ‘Terrain’, ‘Technology’ and ‘Thinking’ as the three Ts crucial to any war, Raksha Mantri stated that as new domains have emerged in modern warfare, the Government is focusing on technological development to tackle the challenges posed by the changing nature of warfare. He stressed that capabilities are being developed across sectors such as drones, AI, cyber security, electronic warfare, space, and quantum technology. “We’ve developed indigenous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like Rustom, Ghatak, and Nagastra. Our drone warfare capabilities were demonstrated during Op Sindoor. Indigenously developed BrahMos missiles wreaked havoc in Pakistan, demonstrating India’s defence capabilities to the world. ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ is being developed with future combat challenges in mind,” he said.
Underlining that national security becomes robust when it is self-reliant, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that work is currently underway with the vision of ‘Design in India,’ ‘Develop in India’ and ‘Manufacture in India’. He noted that over the last 12 years, the allocation for defence research and development has increased by more than 112 percent, from approximately Rs 13,700 crore in FY 2014-15 to over Rs 29,000 crore today. Twenty-five (25) percent of the defence R&D budget has been opened up for the industry, start-ups, and academia, enabling them to actively contribute to defence innovation, he added.
Raksha Mantri highlighted that licensing rules in the defence production sector have been simplified, with priority being accorded to indigenous systems through the Defence Acquisition Procedure. He said over 5,500 items have, so far, been included across more than 10 Positive Indigenisation Lists, demonstrating the emphasis on indigenous manufacturing of defence equipment and components that were previously imported. He also mentioned the transfer of technology for conventional missile systems developed by DRDO to Indian industries, along with the establishment of 15 Industry-Academia Centres of Excellence to foster research. He added that very few countries possess the advanced Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle technology, which India successfully tested with the Agni-5 missile.
To strengthen the domestic supply chain, Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that Defence Industrial Corridors have been set up in various parts of the country to boost defence manufacturing, stressing that instead of relying solely on large defence manufacturers, start-ups and MSMEs have been integrated into defence innovation. “Indian defence manufacturers, MSMEs, and vendors are being brought together through the Srijan Defence Equipment Empowerment Platform. So far, over 41,000 vendors and more than 2.7 lakh products have been listed on this platform.
Raksha Mantri emphasised that the Government is working not only to enhance the operational capabilities of the soldiers but also to ensure their welfare. “Special attention has been paid to the welfare of veterans and their families. ECHS facilities have been expanded. The SPARSH platform was launched with the objective of ensuring ‘Right Pension, Right Pensioner, Right Time’. The ‘One Rank One Pension’ policy, which had been pending for years, has also been implemented. The courage, sacrifice, and service of our brave soldiers should be honoured not merely through words, but by ensuring their well-being and comfort. In this spirit, earlier this month, a lifetime free train travel facility was granted to all soldiers awarded the ‘Sena Medal’ and selected members of their families,” he said.