"I Was Minister In Vajpayee Era...": Rajnath Singh On What's Different Now

In his remarks at NDTV's maiden defence summit, Rajnath Singh said India's defence sector has become strong because the government has tried to focus on "Indianness" too

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.