New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Friday said that stockpiling missiles is important, but equally essential is staying upright and maintaining high standards of propriety, stressing that the nation’s true strength lies in both.
Rajnath Singh said this while participating in a programme at Delhi’s ‘Rashtra Mandir Vishwa Ramayan Ashram’, organised to perform ‘Tarpan’ (ritual offering of water to ancestors) during the ongoing ‘Pitru Paksha’.
“Even if we possess missiles, our power remains incomplete without a sense of propriety. We may have AI, but without national consciousness, our development is incomplete. This is our distinctiveness; this is India’s strength,” the Defence Minister said.
Calling for remembering and honouring the ancestors, the Union Minister said a nation that remains connected to its roots never fails; therefore, it must remember its martyrs as it moves forward.
He further remarked that great persons never live solely for themselves, but they dedicate their lives to society, embrace the joys and sorrows of others as their own, and live for the collective good.
He suggested purity of mind and thought as the right antidote to ‘divisive and polarising’ discourse in public space. He said that it is the impurity of the mind that drives one to the raising of anti-national slogans, whereas the purification of the mindset leads one to regard the nation as everything.
“True greatness lies not merely in power and capability, but also in tolerance, generosity, and the ability to take everyone along,” he stated.
Highlighting India’s long strides in the field of science and technology, he stated that the government also endeavoured to preserve and promote the nation’s culture and civilisational ethos through various initiatives.
The Defence Minister also extended greetings to all soldiers, veterans, and their families on the occasion of the Territorial Army’s Raising Day.
He said that from border security to disaster relief and nation-building, the Territorial Army has upheld the finest traditions of courage, dedication, and selfless service.
He saluted their unwavering commitment to serving the nation and their invaluable contribution toward building a secure, strong, and self-reliant India.
