Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a significant address at the Annual Summit of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Thursday, affirmed that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) remains an integral part of India and voiced confidence that its people would one day choose to rejoin the Indian fold voluntarily.
&ldquo;The people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are our own, part of our family,&rdquo; Singh declared.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We have full faith that those of our brothers who are geographically and politically separated from us today will also return to the mainstream of India someday listening to their voice of soul.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Emphasising India's inclusive approach, he said the country prioritises emotional and cultural unity. &ldquo;India always talks about connecting hearts, and we believe that by walking on the path of love, unity and truth, the day is not far when our own part, PoK, will return and say, I am India, I have returned,&rdquo; he said.
Highlighting the prevailing sentiment within PoK, Singh noted that the majority of its residents share a strong emotional bond with India, although some have been &ldquo;misled.&rdquo; He made it clear that New Delhi's engagement with Islamabad would be limited in scope. &ldquo;India has redesigned and redefined its strategy and response to terrorism,&rdquo; he said, adding that any future dialogue with Pakistan would centre solely on terrorism and PoK.
Delivering a pointed message, Singh remarked that Pakistan has come to understand the consequences of supporting terrorism. &ldquo;The business of terrorism is not cost effective and it will come with a heavy price,&rdquo; he said.
Singh also turned attention to India's rapidly evolving defence sector, outlining notable achievements in domestic production and exports. He recalled that a decade ago, defence exports stood below Rs 1,000 crore. &ldquo;Today, they have reached a record figure of Rs 24,000 crore,&rdquo; he stated.&nbsp;
Additionally, defence manufacturing has surged from approximately Rs 43,000 crore a decade ago to over Rs 1,46,000 crore today, with private industry contributing more than Rs 32,000 crore.
&ldquo;Our weapons, systems, sub-systems, components, and services are reaching around 100 countries,&rdquo; Singh said. He credited over 16,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) involved in the defence sector with strengthening India's self-reliance and supporting employment for lakhs of citizens.
He underlined the success of Operation Sindoor as a demonstration of India&rsquo;s indigenous capabilities. &ldquo;In Operation Sindoor, the people of the whole country have seen, understood and felt the success of the Make in India campaign. Today it has been proved that Make in India is important for both the security and prosperity of India,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
The Indian Armed Forces launched the operation on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Over 100 militants affiliated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen were neutralised during the mission. The summit also included a felicitation ceremony for the service chiefs who led the operation.
Singh elaborated on India&rsquo;s focus on preparing for next-generation warfare. &ldquo;Today, we are not just building fighter jets or missile systems and we are also preparing for new-age warfare technology,&rdquo; he said. He spoke about advancements in Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Defence, Unmanned Systems, and Space-Based Security.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We are continuously making headway even in frontier technologies. Our progress in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Defence, Unmanned Systems, and Space-Based Security is being recognised on the global stage. India has the potential to become a development hub for engineering, high precision manufacturing and future technologies.&rdquo;
A major announcement at the event was the Government&rsquo;s approval of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model. &ldquo;Under the AMCA project, the Government, with industry participation, plans to develop five prototypes of the 5th generation fighter aircraft, which will later lead to series production,&rdquo; Singh said.&nbsp;
He described the initiative as a &ldquo;bold and decisive decision&rdquo; that marks a turning point in the &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; campaign and would significantly boost India's aerospace sector. &ldquo;This is a very bold and decisive decision, which will strengthen India's defence capabilities as well as provide depth and new heights to the aerospace sector in this country,&rdquo; Singh stated.&nbsp;
The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will execute the programme in partnership with private industry and public sector entities.
Underscoring the importance of collaboration between the Government and industry, Singh said, &ldquo;The Indian industry is the carrier of the collective aspirations of the nation. Only the common efforts and synergy of the Government and the Industry can make India a developed nation by 2047.&rdquo;
He also addressed the shifting global landscape, where he noted increasing instability and mistrust. &ldquo;Today, an atmosphere of uncertainty is visible in the entire world. Conflicts are going on everywhere. Though there can be many reasons for this, but the fundamental reason for today&rsquo;s international uncertainty is lack of trust,&rdquo; Singh said.
He contrasted this with India&rsquo;s internal efforts to foster unity. &ldquo;If we look at our country, our endeavour has been to create a strong environment of trust between different regions, communities, and economic segments within the country. We have achieved unprecedented success through these efforts,&rdquo; he remarked.&nbsp;
Concluding his remarks, Singh said that a nation's strength is reflected not just through economic indicators, but through the confidence it instils in its people and on the international stage. &ldquo;Trust lasts only when a country has the confidence that it can protect its geopolitical interests, ensure the safety of its citizens, and remain stable in the face of future uncertainties. The morale of the nation remains high only when it knows that its today is secure, and tomorrow is safe,&rdquo; he said.
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(With inputs from agencies)
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says PoK residents are family and will rejoin India by listening to their soul.

PoK Part of Indian Family, Says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says PoK residents are family and will rejoin India by listening to their soul.

May 29, 2025 | 15:42 IST