Rajnath Singh Becomes the First Indian Defence Minister to Visit Morocco

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The Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, visited Morocco to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). During his interaction with the Indian community, the minister said that the people living in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will one day identify themselves as Indians. This remark has taken over the internet. 


India’s Response to Terror Attacks in Pahalgam

The opposition has been criticising the ruling party in India for missing the best opportunity to regain Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during “Operation Sindoor.” Rajnath Singh’s comment while addressing the Indian gathering in Morocco was likely a response to the opposition. 

He said, “Not at the border, we destroyed terror hotbeds 100 km inside their land. A top terrorist of JeM was saying that Masood Azhar's family was torn apart by India...Pakistan urged for a ceasefire, and we agreed.”

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Reciting a famous quote by the former Prime Minister of India, he said, “We want to have good relations because Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say friends can be changed but not neighbours (Aap ost badal sakte hai, padosi nahi). We are trying to bring them to the right path. PM too has said that this is just a pause. Operation Sindoor has only been halted...It can be started again.”

The Defence Minister also took a dig at the terror attack in Pahalgam. He said the terrorists came to India and killed people after asking about their religion and added, “But we did not see anyone’s religion, we looked at their actions (Dharm Nahi, Karm Dekh Kar Maara).” He ended by highlighting India’s commitment to secular values even during war.  

What is Special About the Defence Minister’s Morocco Visit?

The Indian Defence Minister is on a short 2-day visit to Morocco. He inaugurated Tata Advanced Systems’ Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8 manufacturing hub located at Berrechid, a city in Morocco. This is the first Indian defence manufacturing company on the African continent. Both India and Morocco are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

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To sum up, Rajnath Singh believes that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will again become a part of India without waging a war. He also talked about “Operation Sindoor” and how Pakistan asked for a ceasefire. His visit to the African country is a stepping stone that might deepen defense engagement between India and Morocco.