By Kaveesha Fernando
NEW DELHI, India (CWBN)_ Indian media reports that Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has stated that the “unprovoked aggression” by China shows how the world has changed, but asserted that India is ahead when it came to wielding soft power. The minister is reported to have made these comments on Monday (December 15) at the annual general meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
“There can be a serious debate on who owns more military might, but when it comes to soft power there is no scope of ambiguity. India is far ahead of China when it comes to leading the world with ideas,” he stated.
The minister also lauded the actions of Indian soldiers at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the border between India and China. “There is big build-up of armed forces at the LAC in Ladakh. In these testing times, our forces have shown exemplary courage and remarkable fortitude. They fought the PLA with utmost bravery and forced them to go back,” he added. Indian media has also reported the minister to have said that future generations of Indians would be proud of what the Indian forces were able to accomplish this year.
The minister isn’t the first Indian politician to have expressed concern recently over the fracture of diplomatic relations between India and China. Indian minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar stated over the weekend that he felt that goodwill which was so carefully developed by both India and China will dissipate due the recent hostilities between the two nations.
