"Design our Destiny" should be our new mantra, says Defence Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday expressed confidence that India will soon be among the leading countries in the field of innovation and emerge as the "light house" to the entire world.
Speaking after inaugurating the annual defence innovation event 'Manthan' during the Aero India here, he said, if we want to bring the next generation industrial revolution, then we should either do new things, or try to do the existing things in a new way.
"If we have to develop, then we have to re-define the competition. If we think of moving ahead with old technologies and old systems, then we will always be two centuries behind those countries (developed). That's why today it is necessary that we think in new ways and move forward accordingly," Singh said.
Suggesting that we should try to do something new with the traditional things that are going on, he said, a great example of this is the UPI payment method developed in the country.
"Moral of the story is that we should innovate. Innovation means thinking in a new way, which youth like you can do well," he added.
Noting that if we have to go ahead of other countries, it is necessary for "new people" and start-ups to come forward, the Minister said, in his view, start-up means new energy, new commitment, and new enthusiasm.
Pointing at first Prime Minister Jawahalal Nehru's speech on "Tryst with Destiny" on India becoming independent, he said, today, after 75 years of independence, we have got an opportunity to move forward on the path of 'Design our Destiny'.
"From now on, our mantra should be 'Design our Destiny', that is, we move forward towards the Design of our Destiny with our effort, abilities and resolve to build it," Singh said.
"Our destiny is to become the world's top economy in the coming 25 years; Our destiny is to become the Science & Technology superpower of the world," he said, adding that 'Amrit Kaal' is the best time for this, and youth are the best designers and developers of the country's destiny.
Organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), the Manthan platform brings leading innovators, start-ups, MSMEs, incubators, academia and investors from defence & aerospace ecosystem under one roof.
Highlighting that the environment that has been created for start-ups in the country in the last few years is no less than a boon for our youth, the Minister said, seven-eight years ago the number of start-ups in the country could be counted in fingers, but today their number has reached more than one lakh.
More than a hundred unicorns have been set up by the youth of the country. This not only tells the importance of the newly created start-up ecosystem in our country, but also showcases the new enthusiasm among our youth, and the passion among them to do something new, he said.
Speaking about new innovations and innovative spirit among the youth, Singh said, "I'm fully confident that soon our country will be among the leading countries in the world with respect to innovations, and like in the past, in the future too India will emerge as the light house to the entire world."
iDEX has so far introduced hundreds of innovators to the market, he said, adding that thus thousands of skilled and semi-skilled Indians have been helped in direct and indirect employment generation.
The Defence Ministry has also approved a simplified, and fast track procedure for procurement from iDEX start-ups and MSMEs, the Minister said. iDEX has opened avenues for achieving self-reliance in the defence ecosystem.
"In order to encourage our new entrepreneurs for the development of larger projects, we have decided to increase the grants given so far," he said, adding that this shows the government's support for the hard work, dedication, and encouragement of our innovators and start-ups.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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