Raksha Mantri made it clear that Operation Sindoor is not yet over. Our actions were just a trailer, we will show the full picture, if need be. ‘Attacking and eliminating terrorism’ is the new normal of New India,” he said.
Stating that Pakistan has again started to rebuild its terror infrastructure destroyed by India, Shri Rajnath Singh called upon the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reconsider its one-billion-dollar assistance to Islamabad and refrain from providing any support in future as well. “Pakistan will spend the tax collected from its citizens to give around Rs 14 crore to Masood Azhar, the head of Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist organisation, even though he is a UN-designated terrorist. The Pakistan government has also announced financial assistance to rebuild the terror infrastructure of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed located in Muridke and Bahawalpur. Certainly, a large part of IMF’s one billion dollars assistance will be used to fund the terror infrastructure. Will this not be considered indirect funding by IMF, an international organisation? Any financial assistance to Pakistan is no less than terror funding. The funds India gives to IMF should not be used, directly or indirectly, to create terror infrastructure in Pakistan or any other country,” he said.
Raksha Mantri commended the effective role played by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Operation Sindoor which is being appreciated by the world. Lauding the air warriors for eliminating the terror camps in Pakistan and PoK in just 23 minutes, he said “when missiles were dropped inside the enemy territory, the world heard the echoes of India’s valour and might”. He added that IAF spearheaded this campaign against terrorism, and during the operation, it not only dominated the enemy, but decimated them.
Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted that India’s fighter aircraft are capable of striking every corner of Pakistan without crossing the border. “The world has witnessed how IAF destroyed terror camps and later Pakistan’s airbases. IAF gave the proof that India’s war policy and technology have changed. They conveyed the message of New India that we are not just dependent on weapons and platforms imported from aboard, but Made in India equipment have become a part of our military power. The weapons manufactured in India are also impenetrable,” he said.
Raksha Mantri added that Pakistan has itself accepted the power of the ‘BrahMos’ missile. This Made in India missile showed Pakistan the light of day in the darkness of night, he said, also lauding India’s air defence system, in which Akash and other radar systems made by DRDO have played a tremendous role.
On his interaction with the brave Indian Army soldiers at Badami Bagh Cantt in Srinagar yesterday, and the air warriors & soldiers in Bhuj today, Raksha Mantri stated that he is, once again, convinced that India’s borders are completely safe. “I’ve witnessed the highest level of enthusiasm and patriotism among the soldiers on both the fronts. What our forces did during Operation Sindoor has filled the country with pride,” he said.
Raksha Mantri stated that Bhuj has been witness to India’s victory over Pakistan in 1965, 1971 and now. He termed Bhuj as a land of patriotism where soldiers stand tall with an unshakable resolve to protect national interests. He expressed gratitude to the air warriors and other brave soldiers of the Armed Forces and BSF for their service to the motherland.
Reiterating the Government’s commitment to continuously equip the Armed Forces with latest weapons/platforms and modern infrastructure, Shri Rajnath Singh stated a strong nation respects its military and provides it with resources, technology and every support. He highlighted that, earlier, India was heavily dependent on imports, but today it is indigenously manufacturing equipment such as artillery systems, radar systems, missile shields, drones and counter drones. “We are becoming exporters from importers; and this is just the beginning,” he said.
Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the people of India, the Government, the Armed Forces and other security agencies displayed unity and understanding in this fight against terrorism, with every citizen participating like a soldier. He stated that the Government and the people stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its forces at every step, expressing confidence that “Together, we will completely eradicate terrorism from the region, and no one dares to cast an evil eye on the sovereignty of the nation”.
Raksha Mantri began his address by paying homage to the innocent lives lost in Pahalgam and the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during Operation Sindoor. He wished a speedy recovery to the injured soldiers.Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and other senior IAF officials were present on the occasion.
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QCOs have earned industry support because they have helped Indian manufacturers access global markets: Shri Piyush Goyal
DPIIT convened a Stakeholder Consultation Meeting on Horizontal QCOs on Safety of household and commercial Electrical Appliances
Every QCO introduced so far has eventually earned the support of the sectors because they have not only improved product quality but also helped Indian manufacturers access larger markets. The Government is committed to building a system that ensures consumer safety and industry competitiveness. This was stated by Shri Piyush Goyal, while emphasizing on the importance of implementation of QCO for electrical appliances at the Stakeholder Meet convened by DPIIT in New Delhi yesterday.
The meet discussed the issues being faced by the Industry in the implementation of Horizontal QCO on “Safety of household, commercial and Similar Electrical Appliances” notified by DPIIT on 20th September, 2024.
The industry presented their concerns and highlighted issues faced by them in the implementation of the Horizontal QCO on various electrical appliances on IS 302 (Part1): 2008 as revised vide IS 302 (Part1): 2024/ /IEC 60335-1: 2020. Industry overwhelmingly supported the intent behind QCOs to ensure only high-quality products to be manufactured and sold in India. However, they requested for notifying QCOs on finished goods first followed by QCOs on components and raw materials, considering the complexity of global supply chains. They also recommended mapping domestic manufacturing capacities and available technologies to align compliance timelines. A phased rollout was also proposed. Major concerns raised by the Industry inter alia included the following- ambiguity as regards to coverage of DC Supplied Appliances and Battery-Operated appliances; non-availability of product manuals and test labs all 85 appliances included in the illustrative list; lack of certification by domestic manufacturers as well as foreign manufacturers; insufficient time available for getting the BIS certification for domestic as well as foreign manufacturers; addressing the issue of legacy stock and non-acceptance of non-BIS marked products on e-commerce platform.
Hon’ble Commerce and Industry Minister acknowledged concerns raised by the industry and agreed to consider the request to extend the implementation timeline of the QCO, as well as the issue of legacy stock. He requested industry to come up with the proposal for setting up more testing facilities with modern technology in public funded labs, labs in public sector enterprises and labs in State Government institution etc. so that that robust and accessible testing infrastructure will be made available for the industry pan India.
Shri Jitin Prasada, Hon’ble Minister of State for Commerce and Industry mentioned that “the Ministry remains firmly committed to a consultative and collaborative approach in implementing QCOs. Together, let us ensure that ‘Made in India’ globally stands for safety, quality, and trust”.
DPIIT is working towards ensuring sectoral readiness for the QCO and identifying gaps in testing infrastructure to ensure a smooth rollout. DPIIT is closely working with BIS to streamline the testing and certification ecosystem, making it more accessible, efficient, and affordable, particularly for MSMEs.
These initiatives reflect the Government of India’s unwavering commitment to developing world-class products of exceptional quality within the country, aligning with the vision of creating an Aatmanirbhar Bharat” or self-reliant India.
The meeting witnessed the proactive participation of representatives from leading Industry players and Industry Associations like CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, CEAMA, RAMA, ICEA, IFMA, SMTA as well as Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
