Defence Minister Praises India’s Home-grown Strength to Defeat its Enemies

“Operation Sindoor is proof that India possesses the capability to defeat its enemies with home-grown strength,” said defence minister Rajnath Singh while laying the foundation stone of BEML Rail Hub for Manufacturing (BRAHMA), a Greenfield rail manufacturing facility at Umariya, Madhya Pradesh on 10 August 2025. He called Operation Sindoor a befitting reply to the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, emphasising that India’s decisive response sent a loud and clear message that it no longer tolerates an attack on its integrity and sovereignty. “We do not provoke anyone, but those who provoke us will not be spared,” he added. Describing Operation Sindoor as a symbol of India’s self-reliance and self-confidence, Singh asserted that the armed forces effectively utilised indigenous equipment, which played a pivotal role in the success of the operation. “India was able to reach this position only because it has taken the pledge to become Aatmanirbhar in the defence sector,” he said.

Crediting the dynamic leadership and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the transformation of the defence sector, Singh stated that, today, India is not only manufacturing equipment on its soil, but is also catering to the security needs of friendly countries. “Our defence production and exports are increasing at an unprecedented pace and have touched record figures. This is the new defence sector of the new India,” he said. It may be recalled that, in the Financial Year 2024-25, annual defence production soared to an all-time high figure of Rs 1.51 lakh crore and defence exports touched a record Rs 23,622 crore.

He also talked about India’s economic development and self-reliance in the last decade, pointing out that India’s economy is growing at a rate of about 6.5 percent and the nation is poised to become the third largest economy in the world. He added that persistent efforts are being made by the ‘double engine government’ to take the economy forward at an even faster pace to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The BRAHMA facility will be developed across 148 acres as a world-class manufacturing unit for rolling stock and is expected to be completed in about two years. BEML plans to invest Rs 1,800 crore in the next few years in a phase-wise manner to fully establish the integrated manufacturing unit.