Rajesh Kumar Singh took over as Defence Secretary in the Ministry of Defence in November 2024. He is a 1989-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre and has held several key positions in the Government of India.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the Defence Secretary clears the air around the India-Pakistan ceasefire, laying out the full sequence of events and stating that it was Islamabad that begged for a ceasefire. He also talks about Made-in-India weapons and how they turned out to be a game-changer.Defence Secretary speaks about China’s involvement in backing Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, and highlights the gaps in India’s drone production. He also underlines the importance of reducing the defence procurement timeline from six years to two.He shares updates on the timeline for AMCA, India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, and addresses the speculation around whether India is planning to buy the American F-35A or the Russian Su-57E.Introduction – 00:00Defence Secretary Job Explained – 00:40India’s Defence Capabilities After Op Sindoor – 02:23Planning Behind Op Sindoor – 03:50New Normal After Op Sindoor – 05:50International Reaction to Op Sindoor – 07:32Pak’s Support to Terror Groups – 08:42Impact of Op Sindoor – 10:05How Pakistan Pleaded for a Ceasefire – 12:30India’s Drone Strategy – 13:46Made-in-India Weapons During Op Sindoor – 17:20India’s Defence Budget & Push for Transparency – 18:47Solving Delays in Defence Procurement – 23:54Future of India’s Defence Exports – 26:23India Buying the F-35A or Su-57E? – 31:20India’s 5th-Gen Fighter Jet Plans & HAL’s Role – 32:52Russia as India’s Biggest Defence Supplier – 35:47MRCA Procurement Process – 37:30What “Op Sindoor is On” Really Means – 40:25Pak’s Support from China During Op Sindoor – 43:47Asim Munir’s Meeting with Donald Trump – 46:07What Happens in CCS Meetings? – 49:23Working Relationship with the Three Service Chiefs – 51:09

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