Aero India 2025: Rajnath Singh calls for unity amid global challenges

Bengaluru, Feb 10 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has urged like-minded nations to come together to address global uncertainties and emerging challenges. 

At the prestigious Aero India 2025 event on Monday, Singh said, “The Aero India event is a confluence of state-of-the-art, frontier, and critical technologies, making it highly significant. It serves as a platform for mutual respect, shared interests, and collective benefits. We must unite to tackle today’s uncertainties and new challenges.”

Singh emphasized, “As we strengthen our relationships, our success reaches greater heights. For us, security and peace are not isolated concepts. They transcend national borders. The presence of our friends from foreign nations is a testament to our shared vision of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.’”

He added, “Peace can never be achieved from a position of helplessness. The tree of peace stands only on the strong roots of strength. To ensure lasting peace, we must come together and remain strong.”

In today’s uncertain global scenario, Singh highlighted, “India stands as a beacon of peace and prosperity. India has never invaded any country, nor has it engaged in great power rivalries. As a major global player, India has always stood for peace and stability.”

Further elaborating, Singh said, “This is not just a statement -- it reflects our core values. Defence ministers and officials from many countries are present here, alongside top global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The strong presence of defence manufacturers and entities underlines the importance of this event.”

He emphasized, “Collaborating with India is in our mutual interest. It is crucial for global peace, prosperity, and stability. As we forge deeper relationships, not only do we grow, but the entire world benefits.”

Singh also highlighted the theme of Aero India 2025, ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities,’ stating, “There couldn’t be a more fitting theme. India, a nation of over a billion people, represents a billion opportunities. This air show truly embodies that spirit.”

“The Aero India event, which kicks off today, serves multiple objectives. The first and foremost is to showcase not only India’s industrial capabilities but also its technological advancements to the world. This reflects our commitment to national security,” Singh emphasized.

He added, “Another key objective is to strengthen our symbiotic relationship with friendly foreign nations. The Aero India platform has brought together government representatives, industry leaders, air force officials, defence sector experts, academia, and various other stakeholders from across the globe.”

“This confluence will help strengthen partnerships, ultimately benefiting us all. While we often engage as buyers and sellers on a transactional level, we must go beyond that -- to industrial collaborations. We have numerous successful examples of co-production and co-development with like-minded nations. The scope for research and development is immense,” he concluded.