Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that the recent conflicts across the world have transformed the character of warfare. He said that the battlefield is no longer confined to land, sea and air but has extended into space, cyberspace and the digital domain.
Addressing the third edition of the Delhi Defence Dialogue in New Delhi, Singh said that defence reforms, self-reliance, collaborations and exports together define the transformation the nation seeks in its defence ecosystem. He noted that India’s defence exports have increased to 38,424 crore rupees in 2025-26 from approximately 686 crore rupees in 2013-14. The Minister noted that this growth reflects the increasing acceptance of Indian defence products in international markets. He said that military preparedness in the 21st century cannot be separated from technological and industrial preparedness.
The Minister highlighted that over the past decade, India has made considerable progress in strengthening its domestic defence industrial base through reforms. He said that the government has established defence industrial corridors to expand domestic manufacturing capabilities. Mr Singh noted that the government is also encouraging greater participation of private industries in the development and manufacturing of advanced defence platforms and systems.
The Defence Minister also chaired the meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Defence on ‘Modernisation of Indian Defence Forces’ in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan today.
Emphasising the need for the Defence Forces to remain prepared for present-day and emerging challenges Singh enumerated the steps taken by the Government across three key dimensions, Budget and Capital Acquisition and Self-reliance, Technology and Human Capital to equip the military to meet the evolving demands of technology-driven modern warfare. He highlighted the Government’s sustained focus on budgetary support and capital acquisition to meet the modernisation requirements, stressing that adequate financial resources, coupled with effective utilisation and prioritisation of critical needs of the Services, are essential to strengthening military capabilities.
Singh stated that the defence budget for the Financial Year 2026-27 was increased to a record 7.85 lakh crore rupees, including a capital outlay of 2.19 lakh crore rupees earmarked for modernisation and capital procurement. He said, it reflects the commitment to meet the operational requirements of the Defence Forces while bolstering domestic defence industries and manufacturing capabilities.
Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Ex-servicemen Welfare) Sukriti Likhi, Secretary (Defence Finance) Vishvajit Sahay and other senior civil and military officials attended the meeting.

Jammu | Nov 03:Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday inspected the ongoing construction of the New Legislative Assembly Complex in Jammu and reviewed the progress of the prestigious project, stressing the need for its timely completion while ensuring the highest standards of quality.
During the inspection, the Chief Minister was briefed by the concerned officers on the status of construction and the measures being undertaken to accelerate the pace of work.
The Chief Minister emphasised the need for effective coordination among the concerned departments and executing agency, systematic execution of works and strict adherence to prescribed specifications. He underscored the importance of completing the project within the stipulated timeline, given its significance as a key institutional infrastructure for Jammu and Kashmir.
The New Legislative Assembly Complex, being constructed at a revised estimated cost of ₹208.53 crore, has a total built-up area of 22,165 square metres. The project was initially taken up in 2012, but construction remained stalled since 2018.
The long-pending project was revived following the grant of revised administrative approval by the present Government in 2025, paving the way for the resumption of construction.
Under the Omar Abdullah-led Government, work on the project resumed on February 15, 2026, with October 31, 2027, fixed as the scheduled date of completion. An expenditure of ₹5.97 crore had been incurred on the project up to October 31, 2026.
The six-level complex will house a modern Assembly Hall, Central Hall, visitor and press galleries, committee rooms and advanced building management systems.
The Chief Minister directed the concerned departments and executing agency to maintain close coordination and ensure expeditious execution of the project without compromising on quality or the stipulated completion timeline.
He reiterated the Government’s commitment to strengthening institutional infrastructure and ensuring the timely completion of projects of public importance.
Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather; Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary; Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta; Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department, Anil Kumar Singh; Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department, M. Raju; Secretary, Law Department, Achal Sethi; and other senior officers accompanied the Chief Minister during the inspection.

Custom Credit Solutions Powering the Valley’s Economic Revival

Neelofar Shakeel
Srinagar|Nov, 03: At the heart of Srinagar’s bustling commercial centre, the Jammu and Kashmir Bank’s Small Scale Industries (SSI) Branch at Lal Chowk is playing a significant role in supporting local entrepreneurship, facilitating business expansion and strengthening the city’s commercial ecosystem.
Located on M.A. Road near Ghanta Ghar, the specialised branch has emerged as an important financial support centre for small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, retail traders and passenger transport operators, extending credit facilities to help them establish, sustain and expand their ventures.
With a focus on accessible banking and sector-specific financial assistance, the branch is facilitating working capital requirements, MSME financing and commercial vehicle loans, enabling local businesses to translate entrepreneurial ambitions into viable economic activities.
For many first-generation entrepreneurs, access to timely institutional finance remains a major determinant of business growth. Through its lending facilities, the branch is helping address this requirement by extending financial support to small-scale enterprises, including retail establishments, handicrafts, food processing units and other local businesses.
The benefits extend beyond business expansion, with small enterprises contributing to employment generation and creating livelihood opportunities for young people. Access to working capital also enables traders to maintain inventories, meet operational expenses and respond to changing market requirements.
The branch has also been extending support to Srinagar’s passenger and commercial transport sector through vehicle financing facilities. These loans are helping aspiring operators and existing transport entrepreneurs purchase vehicles, upgrade their fleets and expand their operations.
I can add three illustrative beneficiary profiles, but fictional names and experiences should not be presented as genuine customer testimonials in a newspaper story. The following version uses clearly identified illustrative examples. For publication, replace them with actual borrowers’ names and verified experiences.
For entrepreneurs such as Aamir Hussain Dar, who runs a retail garment outlet in Lal Chowk, timely access to working capital can make a significant difference in managing inventory and responding to customer demand. An illustrative example of the support extended through the branch is how MSME financing can help small retailers expand their product range, improve operations and create additional employment opportunities.
Similarly, Shabnam Jan, a hypothetical entrepreneur associated with a small handicraft and embroidery business, represents the potential of institutional credit in supporting traditional enterprises. Financial assistance can help such businesses procure raw materials, increase production capacity and explore wider markets, while providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to local artisans.
The transport sector offers another perspective on the role of commercial lending. Bilal Ahmad Bhat, an illustrative passenger vehicle operator, represents aspiring transport entrepreneurs seeking to acquire vehicles and establish independent sources of income. Commercial vehicle financing can help operators enter the sector, expand their services and generate employment for drivers and other support personnel.
For a city where public and private transport services are closely linked to tourism, trade and everyday economic activity, such financing has wider implications. Every new commercial vehicle has the potential to create livelihood opportunities for drivers and other support staff while strengthening the local transport network.
An important aspect of the branch’s approach is its engagement with borrowers to understand their business requirements and financial capacities. For young entrepreneurs, particularly those entering the market for the first time, guidance on documentation, loan procedures, repayment planning and financial discipline can be as important as access to credit.
As Srinagar’s commercial landscape continues to evolve, the role of specialised banking institutions in supporting small enterprises and local investment assumes greater significance. By facilitating credit access across retail trade, small-scale industries and passenger transport, the SSI Lal Chowk Branch is contributing to a broader ecosystem of entrepreneurship and livelihood generation.
The initiative also underscores the role of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in extending institutional financial support to businesses at the grassroots level, where access to timely credit can make a tangible difference to economic activity.