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Pakistan army chief’s ‘dumper truck’ comment is a confession: Rajnath Singh
Rajnath Singh said the Pakistan army chief comments were “not merely troll material but a revealing admission”
NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday took a swipe at Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for likening his country to a “dumper truck full of gravel” that can stymie India, saying his remarks were “a revealing admission” of the neighbouring country’s failure.
“If two countries gained independence together, and one built an economy like a sports car with hard work, right policies and vision, while the other remains stuck in failure, it is their own doing. This is not a joke, it is a confession,” he said at the ET World Leaders Forum.
Munir’s comments, Singh said, were “not merely troll material but a revealing admission.”
The Pakistan army chief made the comments in early August (three months after India launched Operation Sindoor) while speaking at a dinner for the Pakistani diaspora in Tampa, Florida. He reportedly said India is like a “shining Mercedes” and Pakistan “a dumper truck full of gravel.” He added, “If the truck hits the car, who will be the loser?”
Munir, who was on his second visit to the US in as many months, reportedly said Pakistan could use its nuclear weapons to take down India and “half the world” in the event of an existential threat in any future conflict with India.
“Operation Sindoor has already shown our resolve. We will not allow any illusion about India’s strength to take root in Pakistan’s mind,” Singh said. India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 and struck terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were killed. Between the launch of the operation and the ceasefire on May 10 evening, Indian forces bombed nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, killing at least 100 terrorists, and struck targets at 13 Pakistani airbases and military installations.
The Indian ethos does not view the global order as a contest for dominance, but rather as a shared journey towards harmony, dignity, and mutual respect for all, Singh said.
“In our tradition, the measure of strength is not in the ability to command, but in the capacity to care; not in the pursuit of narrow interest, but in the commitment to the global good.”
In his address, Singh touched upon India’s focus on developing indigenous defence capabilities.
“Our Tejas aircraft is going to be a great example of India’s indigenous defence capabilities. We have also taken steps towards making fifth-generation fighter aircraft and aircraft engines in India,” he said.
The Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday cleared a ₹66,000-crore deal to buy 97 more light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1As) from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to boost the capabilities of the Indian Air Force.
This will be the second order for LCA Mk-1As --- the IAF ordered 83 Mk-1A fighters for ₹48,000 crore in February 2021.
In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong case for building jet engines in the country, highlighting a significant technology gap and emphasising that self-reliance is the linchpin of India’s efforts to become a developed nation by 2047.
