India ‘will not take any step to disturb peace anywhere’

India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the formal commissioning of the country’s first new French Rafale jets as a “strong message” to its adversaries, according to a report.

“The induction of Rafale is a strong message for the world and especially for those who challenge India’s sovereignty,” Rajnath Singh tweeted.

“Our country will not take any step to disturb peace anywhere. We expect the same from our neighbors,” Singh added.

His remarks came amid an escalating border row with China.

According to AFP, Manoj Joshi, a defense and foreign policy expert at New Delhi based think-tank Observer Research Foundation, said the new French jets were a “morale booster for the country’s defense forces.”

But he cautioned: “If you are China, you’re not going to take few Rafales seriously. A handful of planes cannot bog down a military power like China.”