Lucknow: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday asserted India had emerged as a strong nation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that its stature has risen on the global stage.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a plantation programme on World Environment Day, Singh, who is on a three-day tour to his Lucknow constituency, said that the country's economy has scaled new heights and was being praised across the world.
He added that India has enjoyed considerable credibility in the international arena. "I believe that during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's stature in the international arena has risen. And, I am not saying this merely as a Cabinet member," he said.
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"The truth is that the world recognises that India is no longer the India it used to be. It is no longer weak but has become powerful. This is why India's reputation has risen in the international arena because of this credibility," he added.
Referring to the West Asia crisis, Defence Minister Singh praised the prime minister for keeping inflation under control despite global uncertainties, claiming that no other country has managed to do so.
"If you go to other places, inflation has risen by 30 per cent, 40 per cent, or even more. However, in India, it stands at approximately something over 3 per cent. I believe that there cannot be any achievement greater than this," Singh said.
To a question on the target of planting 70 crore saplings, he said that we will achieve whatever target we have set. "We have successfully achieved every goal we have set so far, and we will achieve this goal --- the tree plantation target --- as well," he said.
