New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 12 years in office as transformational for the country, hinting at his fourth term after the 2029 Lok Sabha elections as an ideal launchpad to achieve ‘Viksit Bharat’.

“During the fourth term of PM Modi, the world will see the nation’s confident march in the direction of rising as Viksit Bharat,” the Defence Minister said in his speech as the chief guest at the “NBT Utsav” programme marking the 79th anniversary of Navbharat Times.

At the event, Rajnath Singh presented the “NBT Navratna” awards to nine eminent personalities, and one “NBT Bhushan” award.

Speaking on the occasion, the Defence Minister said, “Embracing modernity while taking pride in our civilisation, culture, and heritage is the hallmark of the new India. It is this balance that empowers India to lead the 21st century with confidence. The confluence of Tradition and Technology is India’s greatest strength.”

The Defence Minister said the PM Modi-led government has successfully overcome the negative mentality that had set upon the government machinery in the pre-2014 era.

“Today, observers do not ask the question if India can achieve a certain target. They ask how fast India will achieve a particular target,” he said, adding that the country has grown in stature on global platforms and the world takes note of what the country is saying.

He also highlighted the success of the PM Modi-led government’s missions, such as “Make in India” and the semiconductor manufacturing campaign.

Rajnath Singh also credited the PM Modi-led government for silencing critics who said that Article 370 could not be removed from Kashmir and Maoism could never be eliminated from the country.

“Over the past decade, India has presented a model of development in which economic progress has advanced in parallel with digital empowerment, good governance, and social justice. This is precisely why India’s economy has grown consistently despite the Global Challenges,” he said.

–IANS

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