Rajnath Singh tells defence industry his doors are open, unfazed by graft charges

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday invited defence manufacturers to approach him directly, saying he was not afraid of being accused of corruption or of having fingers pointed at him. He was speaking at the India International Security Expo in New Delhi.

Reducing dependence on imports

Singh said India could not rely on imported weapons for long, and that such dependence did not fit the country’s ambition of becoming a superpower.

‘My doors are open’

He recalled that after he took charge of the ministry, people warned him to be careful about whom he met, because the job involved business proposals and import and export matters that could invite allegations.

Singh said a minister who fears such charges should avoid taking decisions, but that he was not troubled by them, adding that people and major industry bodies know who is who. “Come. My doors are open,” he told the gathering, promising whatever help the defence ministry could give.

Steps taken

Singh also said his ministry had taken several measures to support micro, small and medium enterprises in the defence sector and had liberalised industrial licensing.

See also: Bharatiya Janata Party and political leaders.

Originally published on 4 October 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us