India’s stature in international forums has grown under the Narendra Modi government, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today while comparing his experiences as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and the current dispensation.

In his remarks at NDTV’s maiden defence summit, Mr Singh said India’s defence sector has become strong because the government has tried to focus on “Indianness” too. “We have strengthened the defence sector from an India perspective. The result is India’s rise on the international stage. The day is not far off when India will not only become a developed nation, but our military strength will be the greatest in the world,” he said.

Recounting his experience as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, the Defence Minister said, “I was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government too. When I travelled to other countries and spoke on international forums, I felt our words were not taken very seriously. But when we speak on international forums now, the world takes note. This is how our stature has grown,” he said.

The Defence Minister said the Narendra Modi government has prioritised the defence sector and encouraged self-reliance.

“In 2014, when Prime Minister Modi’s government came to power, we put defence sector as our main priority. Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) was encouraged and we introduced many Make-in-India initiatives. Our focus was on military modernisation,” he said.

“I am not saying that previous governments did not put emphasis on defence sector. But we brought atmanirbharta in the defence sector,” Mr Singh added.

The Defence Minister said India now imports technology “only when our own innovation falls short”.

Underlining the government’s vision to reduce dependence on other countries, he said, “As a nation, adopting a mindset of technological dependence on other countries can be detrimental to our overall well-being, impacting various facets such as literature, daily life and every aspect of our existence. Prime Minister Modi is striving to break free from this mentality.”

The Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata successfully rescued 21 crew members, including one Indian national, from the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier MV True Confidence after a maritime incident in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel was reportedly hit by a missile from Yemen’s Houthi militants, resulting in three deaths and several people injured. 

The incident happened on Wednesday, approximately 55 nautical miles (101 km) southwest of Yemen’s port city Aden. The crew, facing imminent danger, sought refuge in a life raft as the INS Kolkata, deployed for maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden, sped to the scene.

#IndianNavy‘s swift response to Maritime Incident in #GulfofAden.

Barbados Flagged Bulk Carrier MV #TrueConfidence reported on fire after a drone/missile hit on #06Mar, approx 54 nm South West of Aden, resulting in critical injuries to crew, forcing them to abandon ship.… pic.twitter.com/FZQRBeGcKp

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) March 7, 2024

Commander Vivek Madhwal, a Navy spokesperson, provided details of the operation, stating that the INS Kolkata arrived at 4:45 pm and swiftly executed the rescue using its integral helicopter and boats. The crew, including the critically injured, received essential medical aid from the ship’s medical team.

Following the successful rescue, all 21 crew members, along with the injured personnel, were evacuated to Djibouti on the same day. 

The incident comes amidst growing global concerns regarding attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, particularly by Houthi militants. 

Over the past few weeks, the Indian Navy has been actively involved in extending assistance to various merchant vessels in the Western Indian Ocean following similar attacks. 

Ranveer Singh recently attended Anant and Radhika’s extravagant pre-wedding gala. The actor appeared in a new avatar, sporting long hair, a moustache, and a beard. Despite trying to keep his new look under wraps, it was quite evident when he was seen performing at Ambani’s pre-wedding celebrations, captivating the audience with his energetic performance on the song Malhaari.

Fans are buzzing with speculation that Ranveer’s new look might be for his upcoming film, Don 3 alongside Kiara Advani. The film is said to be directed by Farhan Akhtar and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani under the banner of Excel Entertainment. Ranveer’s appearance at the event has only fueled anticipation for the film, as fans eagerly await more details about his role and the movie’s storyline.

 
Ranveer aingh performing at jamnagar♥ï¸ÂÂÂÂÂ�🔥 pic.twitter.com/YV97GLp5fx

— fatiim (@fatiim_9RS) March 6, 2024

The actor who was last seen in Rocky aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani, will next be seen in Singham Again, directed by Rohit Shetty.

The pre-wedding celebration of Anant and Radika was held in Jamnagar and witnessed the presence of numerous celebrities and industrialists. Bollywood stars including Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan graced the event with their performances. Singers such as Rihanna, Akon, Shreya Ghosal, Arijit Singh, and Diljit Dosanjh also mesmerised the audience with their captivating performances.