New Delhi, Dec 31: President Droupadi Murmu, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday greeted people on the New Year 2026.

President Murmu greeted people on the New Year 2026 and asked all to further strengthen their commitment to the nation’s development, social harmony, and environmental protection.

In a message, she said the New Year symbolises renewed energy and positive change.

“It is also an opportunity for self-reflection and fresh resolutions. On this occasion, let us further strengthen our commitment to the nation’s development, social harmony, and environmental protection,” the President said.

“May the year 2026 bring peace, happiness and prosperity into our lives and infuse new energy to build a stronger and more prosperous India,” she said, and extended heartiest greetings to all Indians in the country and abroad.

Greeting the people on the New Year 2026, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said, “On the occasion of the New Year, I extend my greetings and best wishes to all the citizens. The New Year festivity brings new hopes and opportunities in our life. Let us commit ourselves towards building a happier and healthier society and to taking J&K to new heights of development and prosperity. Let us also dedicate ourselves to ensure the welfare and progress of Bharat and pledge to take on the future challenges to realise our dreams, preserve our core values to align it with life goals and give shape to our aspirations. May this New Year bring joy and prosperity to everyone.”

Extending warm New Year greetings to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and wishing them peace, prosperity, and good health in the year ahead, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in his message, expressed hope that the New Year 2026 would usher in renewed optimism, harmony, and opportunities for progress across Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the occasion offers a moment to reflect on shared aspirations and to reaffirm collective commitment towards building a more inclusive, resilient and prosperous J&K.

“May the New Year bring happiness to every household and inspire us to work together with dedication and mutual respect for the overall development and well-being of our society,” the CM said.

He also called upon all sections of society, especially the youth, to contribute positively towards peace, unity and sustainable growth, and to play an active role in shaping a brighter future for the region. CM Omar prayed for a year marked by stability, economic growth and strengthened bonds of brotherhood among the people.

New Delhi, Dec 31: The year 2025 for the Ministry of Defence is set to be etched into India’s strategic memory and history as a defining moment, one in which reform, resilience and resolve converged on the battlefield and beyond. Declared the ‘Year of Reforms’, it witnessed not only unprecedented strides towards Aatmanirbharta in defence but also a decisive demonstration of military capability during Operation Sindoor, marking a fundamental shift in India’s response to terrorism.

The twin narratives of reform and retaliation came together after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians, including a Nepali national. India’s response was swift and calibrated. In the intervening night of May 6 and 7, Operation Sindoor was launched, with Indian Armed Forces carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Over 100 terrorists, trainers and handlers affiliated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen were neutralised, while civilian casualties were minimised.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh later told Parliament that the action was strictly in self-defence, neither provocative nor expansionist. The operation’s strategic impact deepened when Pakistan attempted retaliation on May 10, launching a coordinated assault on Indian air bases, military installations and ammunition depots using missiles, drones, and electronic warfare tools. India’s layered air defence, counter-drone systems, and electronic warfare capabilities, many indigenously developed, neutralised the threat without damage to critical assets. India’s subsequent strikes on Pakistan airbases and command centres culminated in DGMO-level talks and a ceasefire.

Operation Sindoor became a milestone in India’s military evolution. It showcased tri-service integration, multi-domain warfare, and the effective deployment of Made-in-India weapons across air, land, sea, cyber and electronic domains. “The operation has been halted, not ended,” Rajnath Singh warned, underlining India’s readiness for a stronger response if provoked again.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi framed the operation as a symbol of India’s strategic autonomy. In his Independence Day address, he highlighted the use of indigenous systems and announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra, a new initiative aimed at neutralising enemy defence infiltrations through rapid, precise and powerful responses. The mission, inspired by the legendary weapon of Lord Krishna, reflects India’s intent to build a nationwide security shield while rejecting nuclear blackmail and externally imposed red lines. The battlefield success was underpinned by record-breaking gains in defence manufacturing. Defence production touched an all-time high of Rs 1.51 lakh crore in FY 2024–25, nearly double the output of FY 2019–20. The private sector’s growing role, contributing 23% of production, highlighted the maturing defence industrial ecosystem. Exports, too, surged to Rs 23,622 crore, reinforcing India’s emergence as a global defence supplier, with a target of Rs 50,000 crore by 2029.

Budgetary priorities reflected this momentum. The defence allocation for FY 2025–26 rose to Rs 6.81 lakh crore, the highest among all ministries, with Rs 1.80 lakh crore earmarked for capital expenditure. Crucially, 75% of modernisation funds were reserved for domestic procurement, cementing the government’s commitment to indigenous capability development. Structural reforms complemented financial muscle. A comprehensive review of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 was initiated to accelerate procurement, promote indigenisation and attract private and foreign investment. The Defence Procurement Manual 2025 simplified revenue procurement processes worth nearly Rs 1 lakh crore annually. Meanwhile, major platform decisions, from the approval of the AMCA execution model to the expansion of LCA Tejas and HTT-40 production lines, signalled confidence in India’s aerospace ambitions.

The Defence Acquisition Council approved capital procurements worth over Rs 3.84 lakh crore during the year, focusing on indigenous systems ranging from missiles and drones to radars and naval platforms. Landmark contracts for LCA Mk1A fighters, Rafale-M aircraft for the Navy, LCH Prachand helicopters and multiple artillery and missile systems further reinforced combat readiness.

Beyond hardware, 2025 also highlighted India’s expanding defence diplomacy. From SCO and ASEAN forums to deepened ties with the US, France, Russia, Japan and Australia, India positioned itself as a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific and a consistent voice against terrorism. Humanitarian missions like Operation Sagar Bandhu in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka reinforced this role.

Taken together, 2025 offered a glimpse of a more secure, self-reliant, and strategically confident India. The Year of Reforms did not remain confined to policy documents; it was tested in combat, validated by industry, and projected on the global stage, leaving little doubt that India’s defence transformation has entered a decisive phase.

Ayodhya (UP), Dec 31: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday described the Ram temple movement as a “grand narrative” that laid the foundation for the future, and said India acted in accordance with Lord Ram’s ideals in Operation Sindoor.

Singh was addressing a gathering after hoisting a flag at the Annapurna Temple in the Ram Temple complex here and joined prayers on the occasion of the second anniversary of Pran Pratishtha, the consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol.

The senior BJP leader said despite repeated attempts by foreign invaders to erase Sanatan traditions, the saffron flag now fluttering atop the Ram temple stood as a message of civilisational continuity.

Referring to Operation Sindoor, the defence minister said India had acted in accordance with Lord Ram’s ideals.

“Ram is humble. Ram is virtuous. Ram is compassionate. But where necessity arises… Ramji takes on the role of vanquishing the wicked there as well. During Operation Sindoor, we worked under that same inspiration of Lord Ram,” he said.

Under the military operation, India launched a series of precision missile strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7 eliminating at least 100 terrorists in response to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 innocent civilians. After Pakistan’s military retaliation, India inflicted heavy damage to a number of key Pakistani military installations.

“Just as Lord Ram’s objective was not the destruction of Ravana but the end of adharma, our aim was to teach terrorists and their patrons a lesson through restrained, focused and purposeful action,” Singh said, adding that modern India remained committed to “maryada” even in conflict.

He said Lord Ram was not merely a character or a chapter in a scripture but a living moral force that guided society in moments of moral dilemma, restraint and duty.

He said the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was “one of the world’s biggest”, both in terms of geography and time.

Recalling the movement’s turbulent phases, he said saints, seers and devotees had faced bullets, arrests and repression for taking Lord Ram’s name.

“History has shown that time delivers justice to all. Those who stood with Ram and Dharma continue to serve the nation, while those who obstructed the path of faith have been left behind,” said Singh, who was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Singh described the second anniversary of the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla as a moment of deep spiritual fulfilment, saying that witnessing Lord Ram seated in his divine temple felt like the culmination of a lifetime.

“No social movement is born suddenly from zero. It emerges from the consciousness of society, grows within society, and takes shape while changing itself according to the changes in society. And when the movement progresses, it determines the direction of society.

“The temple construction movement has also been such a movement, which not only shook history, but also gave direction to the present and laid the foundation for the future. This struggle was not of a single day. It was a struggle of patience, penance and faith that lasted for more than five centuries,” he said.

Singh said he felt chosen to be present on the occasion, adding that after centuries of waiting, Lord Ram had been consecrated in his temple two years ago and was now illuminating not only Ayodhya but the entire world with his divine presence.

“Today every street and square of Ayodhya is immersed in the spirit of Ram,” he said, adding that the sense of joy extended beyond the holy city to the entire country and to all those across the world who believed in and lived by the ideals of Lord Ram.

“The consecration ceremony that took place two years ago was not merely the consecration of Ramlala’s idol; it was a spiritual reawakening that occurred in the hearts and minds of the Indian people after a long time,” the minister said.

He said the Ram temple embodied Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision that actions taken today would lay the foundation for the next thousand years.

Calling the present generation fortunate, the defence minister said it was a rare privilege to witness the culmination of a centuries-long struggle.

“For all of us, the greatest satisfaction will be that we saw Lord Ram seated in Ayodhya with our own eyes,” he said.

Singh said Ayodhya was witnessing an unprecedented transformation under the sustained leadership of the “double-engine government”, with world-class infrastructure being developed while preserving faith and tradition.

He added that the influx of devotees had turned the city into a global centre of religious tourism, reflecting not just Ayodhya’s growth but India’s civilisational pride.

The ‘pran pratishtha’ rituals were conducted by the prime minister on the twelfth day (Dwadashi) of the Hindu month of Pausha of the waxing moon, on January 22, 2024.

This year, the twelfth day of Pausha is on December 31.