Rajnath Singh Criticises Tariff Actions, Says Global Powers Envious of India’s Growth

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Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday made a veiled attack on foreign powers, including the United States, over tariff actions targeting Indian exports. Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for BEML’s new rail coach manufacturing unit in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district, Singh said some global powers are unable to accept India’s fast-paced economic progress.

Without naming any country or leader, Singh remarked, “There are some people who consider themselves the boss of all and are jealous of India’s development. They are trying to damage our economy by making Indian products expensive in foreign markets so they become unaffordable.”

The comments are seen as a response to the recent US decision to increase tariffs on Indian goods, reportedly due to India’s continued import of Russian oil. Singh’s remarks hint at rising global tension as India strengthens its trade independence and global presence.

The Defense Minister declared that no power in the world could stop India from becoming a global superpower. He pointed out that India has risen from being the 11th largest economy to the 4th largest since 2014 and is expected to climb even higher in the years to come.

Highlighting India’s growing self-reliance in defense manufacturing, Singh noted that defense exports had increased from ₹600 crore in 2014 to over ₹24,000 crore in 2023. He described the transformation of India’s defense sector as evidence of a “strong and confident India.”

The new BEML unit, titled the BRAHMA Project, is set to manufacture rail coaches and is expected to create up to 5,000 jobs. With an investment of ₹1,800 crore, the plant will start with a capacity of producing 125 to 200 coaches annually and plans to scale up to 1,100 coaches over five years.