'Don’t believe in war, but will fight back if forced': Rajnath Singh in Arunachal

GUWAHATI: India will fight back if a war is foisted on it, defence minister Rajnath Singh said Tuesday in the backdrop of the December clash between Indian and Chinese troops on the border in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district. “India has neither started a war against any country nor captured an inch of land of any country. This should not be taken as a sign of weakness. India has always remained against war as we believe in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The world is one family, in Sanskrit). We do not believe in war, but if it is forced upon us, we will fight. We are worshippers of peace as well as strength,” Singh said.
The minister was speaking at the inauguration of the strategically important Siyom bridge in Siang district of the frontier state. He also inaugurated 27 other border infrastructure projects across the country virtually, calling them a proof of efforts of the government and BRO to improve the military’s operational capability and ensure socio-economic development of far-flung regions.

With Eastern Command GOC-in-C Lt Gen RP Kalita by his side, the defence minister said: “We are ensuring that the nation is protected from all threats. These projects will provide extreme help in the delivery of ration, military equipment and other help.”
The projects worth over Rs 700 crore completed by BRO comprise 22 bridges, including Siyom bridge, three roads and three other projects in seven border states and Union territories of northern and north-eastern India. Eight of these projects are in Ladakh, five in Arunachal, four in J&K, three each in Sikkim, Punjab and Uttarakhand and two in Rajasthan. In addition, Singh also remotely inaugurated three telemedicine points —two in Ladakh and one in Mizoram.

Made of reinforced steel, the Siyom bridge can carry armoured columns in this region of high mountains and deep gorges.
“The world is witnessing a number of conflicts today… We are ensuring that the nation is protected from all threats. Our armed forces are ready and it is heartening to see that the BRO is walking shoulder-to-shoulder with them,” Singh said.