New Delhi, 02 April (H.S.):

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday expressed concern over the situation in West Asia and said India is closely watching developments and fully prepared to handle any contingency. Highlighting the geopolitical shifts under way, he stated that the world is going through a period of major change and warned that the large‑scale confrontation in West Asia is a matter of serious concern.

Addressing the ‘Sainik Samman Sammelan’ in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, Singh said that thousands of people from Kerala live and work in countries affected by the conflict, but they should not panic. He alleged that some actors are trying to exploit the situation by spreading false information and instilling fear. The Indian government, he asserted, is fully equipped to deal with any energy or security crisis that may arise from the evolving situation.

Emphasising national unity, Singh said the government is capable and ready to handle all possible scenarios. “This is the time for the entire country to come together, not for partisan politics,” he added, and claimed that the BJP had always stood with the nation during times of crisis. He criticised the opposition for engaging in “petty politics” instead of uniting with the country in the face of the ongoing West Asia crisis.

The Defence Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is continuously using his diplomatic skills to safeguard India’s national interests, while the opposition, in his view, has failed to match this level of responsibility.

Singh also highlighted Kerala’s contribution to national defence, describing it as one of the safest and most security‑conscious states in India. He noted that people from Kerala serve in large numbers not only in the Navy but also in the Army and Air Force.

On defence industrial capacity, he said India is now on par with any major global power in the field of shipbuilding. He pointed out that the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier was built at Cochin Shipyard in Kerala, underscoring how India is blending traditional expertise with modern technology.

Looking ahead, he said the government aims to build the Indian Navy into the largest and most powerful maritime force in the world by 2047.

The Defence Minister stressed that the government views serving and retired personnel as the “strong pillars” of the nation. He said that over the past years, the Union government has taken several substantial decisions to strengthen the welfare of ex‑servicemen and that this commitment will continue in the future.

Singh sharply criticised the Congress party, accusing it of deceiving and misleading veterans over the “One Rank, One Pension” (OROP) issue for decades. He claimed that the Congress had talked about OROP for years but kept only a nominal amount of about ₹500 crore on paper, while the present NDA government had implemented the scheme in good faith. The OR OP, he said, has not only brought financial stability to ex‑servicemen but also strengthened their trust that the NDA has finally done justice to them.

Indian diplomatic and defence officials have repeatedly underscored the need for restraint and dialogue in West Asia, and Singh’s remarks today align with the official stance that India is enhancing preparedness while pursuing a calibrated, non‑partisan foreign‑policy approach to protect its strategic, energy and diaspora interests.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar