Rajnath claims Modi spoke to Putin, Zelensky and stopped war to...

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was instrumental in the evacuation of Indian students from war-torn Ukraine.

"PM Modi spoke to (Russian president Vladimir) Putin and (Ukraine president Volodymyr) Zelensky. He also spoke to (US president Joe) Biden when needed. The war stopped briefly so that more than 22,000 students stuck in Ukraine could be rescued and they returned home. Parents of these students were demanding that PM Modi rescue them.

"I am proud of PM Modi who did something that no other country was able to do," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said while addressing the Veer Shiromani Maharana Pratap Maha Sammelan in Aurangabad.

Singh spoke of the valour and sacrifice of Maharana Pratap and the battle of Haldighati.

Maharana Pratap ate rotis made of grass but never compromised with self-respect, he added.

"If you understand his dedication, then you will call his times a Maharana kaal (era) and not a Mughal era. Maharana Pratap never bowed before (emperor) Akbar and kept his Mevad almost invincible," Singh said.

"Be it Mevad, Haldighati, or Galwan, India's head has always been held high and will remain so," the minister said.

Singh said under Modi as PM, India's weapons exports, which were Rs 900 crore in 2014, increased to more than Rs 16,000 crore now.

"We should thank Modi for his insistence on making the country aatmanirbhar (self-reliant)," he added.