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“We’ve made it clear that the nation possesses both ‘power of argument’ and ‘argument of power’, and we will communicate through whichever language the other party understands best,” he said, adding that India is working towards establishing global peace through diplomacy, and is simultaneously strengthening its defence and strategic capabilities to counter any potential threat.

He added that military preparedness without diplomacy can lead to confrontation and a security dilemma, whereas proceeding solely based on diplomacy, without requisite capability, is perceived as a sign of weakness and is detrimental to national security. He termed a balance between the two aspects as essential.

“Events such as surgical strikes, Balakot air strike, and Operation Sindoor demonstrated that we possess the necessary capability and resolve to safeguard our national interests… India is a peace-loving nation that has never advocated for war. Yet, we must always remain prepared to safeguard our integrity & sovereignty, and protect our citizens,” he said.

Mentioning Operation Sindoor specifically, he said the government has made it clear that India no longer tolerates nuclear blackmail and that terrorism and talks cannot go hand in hand, nor can terrorism and trade coexist.

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“We’ve also conveyed the message that no border can prevent us from dismantling terrorist infrastructure. No distinction will be made between terrorists and their sponsors. By suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, we’ve made it clear that blood and water cannot flow together,” he said, adding: “Our approach has now evolved beyond ‘strategic containment’ and ‘deterrence by denial’ towards ‘deterrence by punishment.”

“Any terror attack originating from Pakistani soil will be considered an ‘Act of War’ against India. Those contemplating any form of misadventure will be met with a response they deserve,” he said.

He said that the concepts of strength and peace, which were never seen as contradictory in Indian tradition, were viewed as mutually exclusive alternatives by some leaders after independence.

He also spoke about efforts taken by the government to ensure strategic autonomy and national security and highlighted that through QUAD, India is working towards a free, open, and rule-based Indo-Pacific and through I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE and USA), cooperation has been advanced in new areas.

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“Our active participation in multilateral organisations such as BIMSTEC, BRICS, and SCO has also increased. We’ve strengthened strategic partnerships, created new platforms for cooperation, and expanded diplomatic reach on the global stage,” he said.

He highlighted that the physical power of any state rests on two pillars: a robust economy and a strong military. “When the economy is strong, more resources become available for national security and defence preparedness. Only when a nation is secure do the conditions become favourable for advancing development initiatives. National security and national development complement each other,” he said.

He highlighted a nearly three-fold increase in the defence budget from approximately Rs 2.50 lakh crore in Financial Year (FY) 2013-14 to Rs 7.85 lakh crore in FY 2026-27 and that defence production has surged to a high of approximately Rs 1.80 lakh crore, with the defence forces undergoing continuous modernisation, Ordnance factories undergoing complete transformation, and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) registering profits.

He said ‘terrain’, ‘technology’ and ‘thinking’ as the three Ts crucial to any war, and with new domains have emerged in modern warfare, the government is focusing on technological development to tackle the challenges posed by the changing nature of warfare.

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He said that new capabilities are being developed across sectors such as drones, AI, cyber security, electronic warfare, space, and quantum technology. “We’ve developed indigenous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like Rustom, Ghatak, and Nagastra. Our drone warfare capabilities were demonstrated during Op Sindoor. Indigenously developed BrahMos missiles wreaked havoc in Pakistan, demonstrating India’s defence capabilities to the world,” he said, adding that “Mission Sudarshan Chakra’ is being developed with future combat challenges in mind.

He said that national security becomes robust when it is self-reliant; he said work is currently underway with the vision of ‘Design in India,’ ‘Develop in India’ and ‘Manufacture in India’, adding that over the last 12 years, the allocation for defence research and development has increased by more than 112 percent, from approximately Rs 13,700 crore in FY 2014-15 to over Rs 29,000 crore.

Twenty-five (25) percent of the defence R&D budget has been opened up for the industry, start-ups, and academia, enabling them to actively contribute to defence innovation, he added.

He highlighted that licensing rules in the defence production sector have been simplified, with priority being accorded to indigenous systems through the Defence Acquisition Procedure. He said over 5,500 items have, so far, been included across more than 10 Positive Indigenisation Lists, demonstrating the emphasis on indigenous manufacturing of defence equipment and components that were previously imported. He also mentioned the transfer of technology for conventional missile systems developed by DRDO to Indian industries, along with the establishment of 15 Industry-Academia Centres of Excellence to foster research.

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He added that very few countries possess the advanced Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle technology, which India successfully tested with the Agni-5 missile.