Lucknow, Apr 3 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that India was earlier “perceived as a weak” country but now when it says something on international forums, the entire world “listens to it and seriously considers” its proposition.
Singh was addressing a ‘Holi Milan’ event organised by the Lucknow city unit of the BJP here.
“India was dependent on others earlier, but now it is becoming self-reliant. The dream of the prime minister is that all things are to be manufactured in India and the products made here should be exported to other countries. It is for the first time in the history of independent India that India’s exports reached USD 400 billion,” he said.
“India’s stature has grown in the whole world ever since our government was formed at the Centre. Earlier India was perceived as weak but now when India says something on international forums, the whole world listens to its words and thinks seriously,” Singh said.
The defence minister said India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been praised by many countries as well as the opposition parties. “The prime minister of Pakistan is also praising India,” he said.
Singh said the BJP’s support base is growing and it is now the first party since 1990 to touch the 100-seat mark in Rajya Sabha. “We have a majority in Lok Sabha and we will have a majority in Rajya Sabha as well,” he said.
He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was praised by most countries, including the US, Germany, France and the UK. “We manufactured coronavirus vaccines and gave them to other countries,” he added.