Rajnath Singh meets Indian community in Rabat, highlights India’s growing global role

New Delhi, September 22. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh interacted with members of the Indian community in Morocco’s capital, Rabat, on September 21, where he underlined India’s growing economic and strategic strength while reaffirming the armed forces’ preparedness in the wake of recent security challenges.

The gathering saw the diaspora commend the decisive response of the armed forces during Operation Sindoor, carried out after the terrorist attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam. Singh assured the community that the forces had been given complete freedom to respond.

“Our actions were firm yet measured and non-escalatory. We struck not by religion, but by deeds,” he said, quoting the Ramcharitmanas to stress India’s restrained but resolute approach.

In his address, the Defence Minister highlighted India’s progress over the past decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that the country had risen from being the 11th largest economy to the world’s fourth largest, and was on track to break into the top three. He pointed to India’s digital revolution, rapid growth in the knowledge economy, and the dramatic expansion of the startup ecosystem, which has grown from 18 unicorns 10 years ago to 118 today.

Singh also emphasised the strides made in defence manufacturing, with production touching Rs. 1.5 lakh crore and exports surpassing Rs. 23,000 crore to over 100 countries.

Praising the hard work and integrity of the diaspora, Singh said they embodied the strength of Indian character worldwide. Recalling Swami Vivekananda’s message at the Parliament of World’s Religions, he said that in Indian culture, character defines a person above all else. Members of the Indian community in Rabat expressed pride in India’s rising global stature, built on strong economic fundamentals and growing military capability.