NE DEFENCE BUREAU
NEW DELHI, DEC 2
Operation Sindoor is proof that India “gives a befitting reply to those who do not understand the language of peace and goodwill,” said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, asserting that the nation’s firm response to terrorism mirrors the resolve of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Addressing the Sardar Sabha in Vadodara as part of the ‘Unity March’ organised by Mera Yuva (MY) Bharat to commemorate Patel’s 150th birth anniversary, he said Patel always preferred dialogue but never hesitated to take bold decisions — including the integration of Hyderabad into the Indian Union.
सरदार पटेल का जीवन सदियों तक राष्ट्र को प्रेरणा देता रहेगा।
वडोदरा में आयोजित "सरदार गाथा" सभा में सम्बोधन। https://t.co/t8q86s87FP
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 2, 2025
Commending the Armed Forces for the successful execution of Operation Sindoor, the Defence Minister said global recognition of India’s military capability reflects the country’s growing stature. “We’re a peace-loving nation which never provokes, but if provoked, we do not spare those who cast an evil eye,” he declared.
- Nation sends clear message: peace-loving but firm against provocations
- Govt targets ₹3 lakh crore defence production, ₹50,000 crore exports by 2029
- Sardar Patel’s ‘One India, Best India’ Vision reinforced in New India’s strategic rise
Calling Sardar Patel the architect of national unity, Singh said the dream of ‘One India, Best India’ has been strengthened under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He cited the abrogation of Article 370 as a key step that “fully integrated Jammu & Kashmir into the national mainstream.” India, he said, now engages with the world on its own terms and is “marching ahead as a major economic and strategic power.”
Highlighting economic and governance reforms, Singh noted that India, ranked 11th globally in economic size before 2014, has risen to the fourth position and is poised to break into the top three. The Government’s approach of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”, he said, has further reinforced the foundations of an ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. “We aim to build a Viksit Bharat by 2047,” he added.
On defence preparedness, Singh said the Government is advancing Patel’s vision of modernising the armed forces and promoting indigenous defence manufacturing. “Through ‘Make in India’, we are becoming Aatmanirbhar in defence production. Our exports have increased nearly 34-fold in 11 years. We aim for ₹3 lakh crore defence production and ₹50,000 crore exports by 2029,” he said.
Invoking Patel’s ideals of purity and integrity, Singh underlined the Government’s commitment to ethical public life. He said the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025 aims to ensure accountability at the highest levels. “If a person in office is arrested on serious charges and fails to get bail within 30 days, they will automatically be relieved from their post,” he explained.
Calling upon the youth to preserve and strengthen India’s unity and sovereignty, Singh said national integration is a collective duty. “We must not only adopt Patel’s values but prepare the next generation to uphold them. That will be the true tribute to Sardar Patel,” he said.
The event was attended by Governor of Punjab Gulab Chand Kataria, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of State for MSME and Labour & Employment Shobha Karandlaje, besides senior state officials.
