Rajnath Singh emphasizes Indian economic growth and defense self-reliance

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has outlined a dual vision for India focusing on global economic integration and advanced domestic defense capabilities. Speaking to the Indian diaspora in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Singh highlighted India’s significant contribution to global economic growth, noting the country accounts for over 16 per cent of the total and is expanding at approximately 7.8 per cent.

Singh detailed several economic milestones, including foreign exchange reserves exceeding $700 billion and a decline in the current account deficit to 0.61 per cent of GDP. He also noted the expansion of the startup ecosystem to over 250,000 enterprises and the massive growth in UPI transaction values.

In New Delhi, addressing the Swavlamban 2026 seminar, Singh called for ‘Aatmanirbharta 2.0’, a new phase of defense self-reliance. This initiative aims to reduce import dependence through indigenous research and development, resilient supply chains, and the development of cost-effective, globally competitive systems. He emphasized that securing domestic supply chains for critical materials, such as rare earth elements, is a strategic imperative for national security.