Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday called upon business leaders to collaborate further with the government to make the 21st century the “century of India”.

India, he said, has emerged as a global growth engine and is providing a new direction to the world.

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Addressing the 96th Annual General Meeting and Convention of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi, Singh asserted that the Indian growth story is the result of the hard work and ability of more than one billion Indians under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The minister highlighted that the transformative policies and programmes of the government have powered the Indian growth story, various facets of which are shaping up the world of today.

“India has committed that its growth will not be at the cost of environmental degradation. We have chosen the path of green growth. We signed the Paris Agreement. We have formed the International Solar Alliance. We have taken initiatives to promote clean energy. We have also reduced the emission intensity of GDP,” he said.

Stressing that the economic growth must be gender neutral, he pointed out that the government has successfully changed the earlier narrative which credited the growth of the economy to the contribution made by men and men alone.

“Empowering women has been our priority. We have ensured that India’s economic, political, and social development takes place not just on the strength of men, but Nari Shakti too,” he said.

Enumerating the steps taken by the Ministry of Defence to empower women, he said, “Girls are now studying in Sainik Schools, while women officers are being trained at the National Defence Academy. Women are now being appointed as fighter pilots, deployed on warships, and posted on forward posts across the border. In addition, a large number of young girls are joining the Armed Forces through the Agnipath scheme.”

Singh highlighted another major aspect of India’s growth story and stated that the government has created a growth web across the country by decentralising the activities and taking them to far-flung areas. Citing programmes like PM Gati Shakti Yojana, he said, “We have connected remote parts of the North-East and small towns with metro cities through infrastructure development and as a result, all the regions are developing together.”

The minister also listed out the initiatives and accomplishments undertaken by the government in the field of infrastructure development.

Reiterating the government’s commitment towards inclusive development, he said India’s growth story showcases that there is no irreconcilable trade-off between economic growth and distributive justice. “Our growth model shows that equal opportunities to everyone and the accelerated growth rate can be achieved simultaneously,” he stated.