Self-respect first: Rajnath on standoff with China

LUCKNOW: Union defence minister Rajnath Singh lauded the leadership of PM Narendra Modi on Saturday, saying that India had sent out a strong message to China amid the Ladakh stand-off.
"We are not concerned about the parinaam (consequences), but we will never compromise on our swabhimaan (self-respect)," Singh said in Lucknow on Saturday.
Addressing the 'Namaste Lucknow' event, Singh, who is also MP from Lucknow, said that had the Covid and Ukrainian crises not hit the world, India would have crossed the mark of a $3.25 trillion economy.
"America is seeing maximum inflation in four decades. We aim to make India among the top three economies in the world in the next 10 years," Singh said.
Singh also said that gross GST revenue collection stood at its highest ever at almost Rs 1.7 lakh crore for April 2022. On the defence front, Singh said 309 weapons had been approved for manufacture in India.
"We want to be self-reliant. This ammunition will be made in India and by Indians. If our people do not know the technology, experts will be called here to teach Indians. We will not go to a foreign land. Besides, 68% of the defence budget will be spent on domestic industries. Of this 68%, 25% is exclusively for the private sector," Singh said.