India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Thursday, July 6, 2023. According to reports from PTI citing hospital officials, Singh was admitted with complaints of back pain. Officials confirmed that Singh is currently stable and under observation. Dr Rima Dada, in-charge of the AIIMS media cell, stated that the Defence Minister is undergoing tests. The 73-year-old was admitted early in the morning and is currently being treated in the Old Private Ward.
Singh, a Member of Parliament representing Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, first assumed the role of Defence Minister on June 1, 2019. He was reappointed to the position for a second consecutive term on June 13, 2024. Following his reappointment, Singh outlined his vision for the next five years, emphasizing the need to strengthen India’s security apparatus and achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing. He highlighted that the focus would be on carrying forward priority areas with renewed thrust to establish a more secure, self-reliant and prosperous nation.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, our aim will be to further strengthen the security apparatus of the country, with focus on achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Armed Forces modernisation and the welfare of the soldiers, both serving and retired, will continue to be our main focus,” he stated. Rajnath Singh also expressed his objective to increase defence exports in the future.
Prior to his current role as Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh served in the first term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Minister of Home Affairs. He was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha in 2009. He also served as a member of the Committee on Ethics from October 7, 2009. Born on July 10, 1951, in the Chandauli district of Uttar Pradesh, Singh holds a Master’s degree in Physics from the University of Gorakhpur and was a teacher by profession.
