Won’t hesitate to take ‘big steps’ if India is threatened: Defence minister Rajnath Singh – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India will not hesitate to take “a big step” if its interests are threatened by an adversary, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday while inaugurating 75 infrastructure projects built at a cost of Rs 2,236 crore by Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
“India has never attacked any country out of hatred or contempt. We fight only when someone insults or tries to harm our integrity and sovereignty; when war is waged against religion, truth and human values,” Singh said, performing shastra pooja (worship of weapons) on Dussehra at Sukna military station in West Bengal.
“This is what we have inherited. We will continue to preserve this heritage. However, if our interests are threatened, we will not hesitate to take a big step. Shastra pooja is a clear indication that if need be, the weapons and equipment will be used with full force,” he added.
The BRO projects inaugurated include 22 roads, 51 bridges and two others, with 19 in J&K, 18 in Arunachal Pradesh, 11 in Ladakh, nine in Uttarakhand, six in Sikkim, five in Himachal, two each in Bengal and Rajasthan, and one each in Nagaland, Mizoram and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. With these 75 projects, BRO has completed a total of 111 infrastructure projects this year at an overall cost of Rs 3,751 crore.
One of the prominent projects inaugurated on Saturday is the strategic Kupup-Sherathang road in Sikkim, which serves as a crucial link between Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg and Zuluk axis.
It provides an alternate route for movement of Army troops and equipment to forward areas.
The projects are a testament to the govt’s “unwavering resolve” to keep strengthening the border infrastructure for strategic reasons as well as ensuring socio-economic progress of these areas, especially the northeast, Singh said.
The Modi govt, in its third term, aims to further bolster the border infrastructure at a faster speed, he said, referring to the increased allocation of Rs 6,500 crore for the BRO in the 2024-25 budget. “India will be one of the safest and strongest nations in the times to come,” he said.