India's aim is to unite, move forward together with other nations: Rajnath

Jodhpur, Sep 12: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said India's aim is to walk hand in hand together at a time some countries are at war with each other.

He also asked friendly nations to elevate their partnership and collaboration to new heights in view of the evolving global challenges.

"Today, there is a race in the world to get ahead of each other, wars are going on between countries at different places. In this changing situation, India's goal is that we hold each other's hands and walk together," he said while speaking at 'Tarang Shakti' -- the largest multilateral air exercise in India hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the air base here.

"Seeing the way the world is changing and new challenges are emerging, we need to take our partnership and collaboration to new heights," he said.

Singh's remarks come in the backdrop of calls for India's potential role in pushing peace talks between Russia and Ukraine as New Delhi has good relations with both the nations.

The minister said India is collaborating with friendly nations on a range of advanced and high-tech projects. While exercises like Tarang Shakti have significant tactical value, they also serve as a platform to foster greater mutual cooperation, coordination, and trust among participating countries, he noted.

"Such initiatives build confidence among our partners, reinforcing our collective commitment to stand united when needed. Through Tarang Shakti, we have further solidified our defence relationships with partner nations," he said.

He urged the foreign dignitaries present on the occasion to thoroughly explore and study India's aerospace sector.

"This first hand experience will provide insight into the rapid advancements and promising capabilities of India's defence manufacturing industry. It is an excellent opportunity to discuss how we can advance our collaboration in defence manufacturing," he said.

The minister said India is enthusiastic about working together and aims for partnership to extend beyond political and technical realms.

"We want our cooperation to be not limited to just political or technical synergy but to transform into a heart-to-heart synergy," he said.

Singh said that today, India stands not only as the fastest growing economy globally but also is home to one of the world's most formidable armed forces.

"The IAF has undergone a remarkable transformation, integrating modern aircraft and next-generation equipment from around the world. Our air force and defence sector are advancing rapidly with a renewed commitment to achieving self-reliance," Singh said noting that since its inception, the IAF has been known for its valour.

"The IAF has faced tough situations whenever the country needed it. Our air force and defence sector are moving forward rapidly with the new resolve of self-reliant India. Our defence sector has taken strong steps towards indigenisation in the manufacture of weapons, platforms and aircraft," he said

"We are now largely self-sufficient in areas such as light combat aircraft, sensors and radars, electronic warfare and we continually strive to progress further," he said.

Highlighting India's progress in achieving self reliance, he said India was once primarily known as an importer of arms and equipment and now exports defence equipment to approximately 90 countries.

The IAF is not only a pioneer in the field of defence but indirectly also contributes a lot to other sectors of the economy, he said.

"Indirectly, there is a long supply chain behind it which not only generates employment in the country but scientific temperament also develops in the country because of this. As a result, today India is manufacturing defence equipment for its own needs. Along with this, we are also manufacturing parts of many foreign equipment in our country," he said.

Highlighting the importance of technology for the air force, Singh said technological advancements are occurring at an unprecedented pace and in the rapidly evolving landscape, adopting a collaborative learning approach is essential.

Earlier, the IAF conducted an air show in which the Sarang helicopter display team, Surya Kiran aerobatic team and light combat aircraft Prachand demonstrated thrilling manoeuvers.

The defence minister later inaugurated the India Defense Aviation Exposition (IDAX )-2024 which will continue till September 14.

Niche technologies and products like RF Gun to counter unmanned aerial threat, High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS), Loitering ammunition, Air-launched Flexible asset, Augmented Reality /Virtual Reality (AR/VR) smart glasses tech tool for training, Expandable Active Decoys, Real-time air crew health monitoring system etc. have been displayed at the exposition.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Air chief marshal V R Chaudhary, chief of the Air staff, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, DRDO chairman Dr Samir V Kamat were among those present.