Daijiworld Media Network - Thane (SHP)
Thane, Oct 15: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, addressing a BJP rally at Mira Bhayandar, Thane, on Monday claimed that if India had Rafale sooner, IAF would have destroyed terror camps without entering Balakot, Pakistan.
"Had we possessed Rafale fighter jets we would not have required to enter Balakot and launch a strike. We could have struck at Balakot while sitting in India," Singh said.
Further, Singh stated that Rafale was meant for self-defence and not to demonstrate aggression. Defending the 'Shastra Puja,' Singh professed that he acted according to his faith.
At a ceremony in France on Tuesday, Singh formally took delivery of the first of the 36 French-made aircraft acquired by the Indian Air Force. He also took a sortie in the two-seater jet.
Reportedly, when Singh flew inside the Rafale, he asked the pilot to go at a supersonic speed. Correlating the speed of the jet with current governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh said, "Our government is progressing at supersonic speed while the Congress and the NCP are going down at supersonic speed."
Singh also took a dig at Congress for stating that the party only believed in generating communal stress and were propagators of the 'divide and rule policy.'