New Delhi, Sep 28: Union Minister J.P. Nadda on Monday hit out at Congress and the INDIA bloc, accusing them of lacking policies and vision and alleging that they were now devising new ways to spread confusion and anarchy across the country.

Speaking to reporters, Nadda said that while 140 crore Indians were working tirelessly to realise the vision of a developed India and the country’s reputation was growing globally, Congress and the INDIA bloc were frustrated with the country’s progress.

“Today, when 140 crore Indians are proving the resolve of a developed India through their tireless hard work, and India’s fame is echoing on the global stage, unfortunately, Congress and the entire INDIA bloc are frustrated and hopeless seeing this progress of the country,” he said.

Nadda claimed that allegations made by the Opposition had repeatedly been countered by facts.

“All the fabricated allegations of the Opposition have been repeatedly shattered on the touchstone of facts. From the Election Commission to the highest courts of the country, the air has been blown out of every single one of their lies,” he said.

He alleged that the Opposition was attempting to create confusion in the country in the absence of policies and a clear vision.

“When they lack policies and vision, they now plot new schemes to spread confusion and anarchy across the country. We all saw a few days ago how an uproar was created across the nation over a fabricated piece of news,” Nadda said.

Referring to the ongoing political controversy surrounding the Election Commission, he accused the Opposition of attempting to undermine constitutional institutions.

“Now, when all members of the Election Commission exposed every lie they levelled, they are trying to ruin the atmosphere anew from scratch. Rahul Gandhi, listen with open ears: repeating a lie a hundred times does not make it the truth, nor does the truth get defeated,” he said.

Nadda further alleged that the ‘sole agenda’ of Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee was to ‘defame and weaken’ the country’s autonomous and constitutional institutions.

“This is the same toolkit mentality, which creates a new conspiracy every morning. Accuse, deteriorate the atmosphere of the country, and run away. This is their way of working. They don’t care about the people or the country’s pride. They only want to get into power,” he said.

His remarks came amid protests by Congress and other INDIA bloc leaders over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has been at the centre of the political controversy surrounding the Election Commission of India. It was reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised concerns over certain decisions of the poll body, particularly those related to the SIR exercise. This was, however, denied by the ECI, saying all decisions were approved unanimously.

New Delhi, Sep 27: Indian Army chief General Dhiraj Seth on Sunday called a land victory the only “tangible factor” of success in a war, despite increasing technological innovations in the defence sector.

In his address at the media Defence Summit 2016, General Seth said: “We see salvo after salvo in today’s social media covering warfare across the globe, where information narratives and warfare are being fired to fog the real battle picture, creating uncertainty and confusion…However, I strongly feel, through all this clutter, one reality that does not change: land will always be the one and only tangible and useful factor of success.”

“Victory was, is, and will always be measured in territorial terms and that territory will be occupied, secured, and defended only by the force,” he asserted.

“Every capability must address one question: how does it help that soldier who puts his boots or tracks on the ground? That is why I would place him at the heart of the capability development that you’re looking at…”

Recalling a photograph taken on December 16, 1971 that depicted Pakistan surrendering at the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War, the army chief said: “The reason I allude to this today is that that photo gave us a very defining moment, because that was the precise moment when the war came to an end. But there is no demarcating moment; there is no termination point which indicates an end to the hostilities.”

He noted that conflict timelines are becoming “increasingly indefinite”, with intermittent spikes of intense fighting.

“Technology is certainly shortening the battles, but it is not necessarily shortening the war. These millennium wars can best be described as wars with pause. Pause, in fact, is becoming a part of military strategy, with the pause representing not the domination of conflict but merely a change in its intensity and manifestation,” General Seth added.

Underlining that there is no substitute for self-reliance, he said when crisis becomes prolonged, being ‘atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant) will mark the winning factor between the victor and the vanquished.

“Atmanirbharta must be about ensuring that we have the capability to endure without being constrained by what others can or cannot provide. That gives us a good reason to take a hard look at the very pathways of our indigenous capability,” he said.

However, the Army chief advised caution regarding “indigenous obsolescence”.

“The challenge is not just to reduce dependencies on others but also to ensure that what we develop indigenously does not become outdated by the time it is dumped. I would like to term it as indigenous obsolescence or that kind of a trap that can get created,” he said.

According to the government, the value of India’s indigenous defence production increased from Rs 46,429 crore in 2014-15 to a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26.

Greater Noida, Sep 27: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted that as global markets open up to India through Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Uttar Pradesh’s annual exports are expected to more than double from Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 5 lakh crore by 2030.

Addressing the UP International Trade Show in Greater Noida, Goyal said that expanding exports, investments and global market access would contribute to the state’s goal of becoming a $1 trillion economy.

The minister said the expanding global market access through FTAs, investments, tourism and international recognition of Uttar Pradesh’s products and brands would create new opportunities for the state’s entrepreneurs. He called for active participation and cooperation from the state’s trade and industrial community in taking forward this development journey.

He said new investments are expected to flow into India from across the globe and noted that Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a preferred investment destination, supported by favourable industrial policies and proactive industrial schemes. He said major corporations and global investors are arriving across sectors, creating new employment opportunities.

The minister highlighted the role of modern technology, international enterprises, and the evolving craftsmanship and technical skills of Uttar Pradesh’s youth in driving the state’s development. He said international events of this scale provide opportunities for direct access to global markets, enabling Uttar Pradesh’s diverse products, cuisines and services to reach international markets.

Goyal underscored the international participation at the UP International Trade Show, including six partner countries, hundreds of delegates and exhibitors, and buyer-seller meetings. He noted the participation of international stakeholders and the opportunities created for businesses through the event.

He highlighted the development of expressways, modern airports and industrial parks in Uttar Pradesh and noted the state’s growing presence across sectors including defence, semiconductors, electronics and other modern high-technology domains. He also referred to the expansion of a large robotics manufacturing facility in Greater Noida as an example of modern industrial growth and technological development.

The next frontier for Uttar Pradesh’s development lies in expanding exports in global markets, attracting international investments, strengthening tourism and building global recognition for brands from the state, he said, adding that the state is strengthening its foundation for greater global trade and progressing towards its development objectives.

The minister also highlighted the importance of coordination between the Central and state governments, along with the participation of citizens, youth and stakeholders from the trade and industrial sector, in supporting Uttar Pradesh’s continued economic and export growth.