India to Become World’s Third-Largest Economy in Two Years, Says Defence Minister
Lucknow: Defence Minister and Member of Parliament from Lucknow, Rajnath Singh, on Sunday asserted that under the current government, India has made extraordinary progress, transforming its global image from a nation of poverty to one of potential. Speaking at an interaction programme with intellectuals of the BJP’s Lucknow North Mandal-4, held at Maharishi University auditorium, Singh expressed confidence that India will soon become one of the top three global economies.
“India’s economy has climbed from the 11th to the 5th position, and global financial institutions predict that within the next two years, India will be among the top three economies in the world,” he said.
Highlighting industrial growth, Singh mentioned that 11 years ago India had only two mobile manufacturing units; today, it has over 270. In digital transactions, India now leads the world. On the defence front, he stated that where earlier even small parts were imported and Rs 600 crore worth of defence exports was considered significant, today India exports defence equipment worth Rs 24,000 crore, with a target of reaching Rs 50,000 crore by 2029.
A key moment came during the open-floor session when a demand was raised for the merger of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with India. Singh responded assertively: “The day is not far when people of PoK themselves will demand to be part of India. I am confident that day will come soon.”
Singh also announced that the BrahMos missile, being manufactured in Lucknow, will soon be exported globally. “I will be inaugurating the facility on May 11,” he informed the gathering.
Acknowledging some shortcomings, Singh said, “While much has been done, some things remain. But with your blessings, I’ve tried to do the best I can for Lucknow despite my national responsibilities as Home and Defence Minister for the past 11 years.”
Addressing local issues raised by residents, Singh directed MLA Dr Neeraj Bora to ensure the construction of roads in Keshav Nagar and assured he would look into the demand for a government degree college in the area. Praising Bora, Singh said, “He never comes without bringing problems from his constituency. I can tell just by seeing him that some issue is coming up — and solutions follow.”
Earlier, MLA Dr Neeraj Bora outlined development efforts in the region, particularly in Faizullaganj, noting that nearly 70% of roads are now paved, new electricity poles and ABC wiring have replaced old wooden setups, a power substation has been built in Daudnagar, a primary health centre opened, and a 50-bed hospital is under construction. Major infrastructure projects include a deep drainage canal, a new bridge beside Harding Bridge, and a permanent bridge to replace the pontoon bridge connecting Faizullaganj to Old Lucknow. Additional amenities such as a green corridor, community hall in Daudnagar, a senior citizen day-care centre in Janakipuram Sector F, and a public library in Janakipuram Extension are underway.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who also attended the event, remarked on the transformation of Faizullaganj, once known for infectious diseases. “The state government launched its communicable disease drive from Lucknow North, and we can say today that we’ve succeeded in curbing such diseases significantly,” he said. He also credited Rajnath Singh’s leadership for ensuring that Lucknow now enjoys amenities on par with global metropolitan cities.
Other dignitaries present included BJP City President Anand Dwivedi, MLC Mukesh Sharma, Ramchandra Pradhan, Diwakar Tripathi, Pushkar Shukla, Trilok Adhikari, Media Incharge Praveen Garg, Ghanshyam Agrawal, Shailendra Sharma Atal, Mandal President Shailendra Maurya, Councillor Rashmi Singh, Pradeep Shukla, Priyanka Bajpai, Ramudas Kanojia, and other office bearers and intellectuals of North Mandal-4. The event was moderated by Metropolitan Vice President Dr Vivek Singh Tomar.
