Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the increasing participation of women in India’s defence and space sectors, calling it a reflection of the nation’s progressive direction.
While addressing the International Arya Mahasammelan 2025 in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said that President Droupadi Murmu recently flew in a Rafale fighter jet, accompanied by Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, one of India’s first women Rafale pilots. He said that it was a symbol of women’s growing presence in frontline defence roles.
“Just two days ago, our President Droupadi Murmu Ji took a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft. Her companion was Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh. Today, our daughters are flying fighter aircraft and also promoting modern agriculture
by becoming Drone Didis. Today, we can proudly say that India has the highest number of female STEM graduates in the world. Today, women are also playing leadership roles in the field of science and technology,” PM Modi said, emphasising that women are now leading from the front in varied sectors.
#WATCH | Delhi: At the International Aryan Summit 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “Just two days ago, our President Droupadi Murmu Ji took a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft. Her companion was Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh. Today, our daughters are flying fighter… pic.twitter.com/p4TKeBDo3X
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025
PM Modi further hailed the services of the Arya Samaj, saying that the occasion marking the 150th anniversary of the group is a celebration of the nation’s Vedic identity and self-renewing spirit. PM Modi also released commemorative coins marking the 200th birth anniversary of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati and the 150th anniversary of Arya Samaj’s service to society.
He said that the event is not confined to any single community or sect but reflects the essence of India’s civilisational philosophy. “The 150th anniversary of the establishment of Arya Samaj is not connected only to a part of society or a sect. This occasion is connected to the Vedic identity of the entire India,” he said.
PM Modi compared the ideals of Arya Samaj to the sacred flow of the Ganga, saying that both represent the strength to refine and rejuvenate themselves continuously. He also noted that the founder of the organisation, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, was a visionary who worked for the emancipation of women and founded institutions that continue to serve the country.
The Prime Minister also highlighted how the movement founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati infused the freedom struggle with moral and ideological energy, inspiring countless revolutionaries to dedicate their lives to the cause of independence.
He highlighted that revolutionaries like Lala Lajpat Rai and Ram Prasad Bismil, among others, drew inspiration from Arya Samaj.
“The Arya Samaj has been an organisation that fearlessly speaks of Indianness. Be it any anti-India mindset, people imposing foreign ideologies, a divisive mentality, or nefarious attempts at cultural pollution, the Arya Samaj has always challenged these. I am pleased that today, as society and the nation are paying homage to the great ideals of Dayanand Saraswati Ji in this grand form,” PM Modi said.
He further regretted that the contributions of the Arya Samaj to India’s freedom movement have not received due recognition. “Unfortunately, due to political reasons, Arya Samaj’s role in the freedom struggle did not receive the respect it deserved,” he said.
The Prime Minister also urged Arya Samaj members to encourage youth to take up the study of manuscripts, promote natural farming of coarse cereals.
All About International Arya Mahasammelan 2025
The Mahasammelan is a key part of the Jyana Jyoti Festival, commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati and 150 years of the Arya Samaj’s service to society. The Summit has brought together representatives from Arya Samaj units across India and abroad. It also features an exhibition titled ‘150 Golden Years of Service’, showcasing Arya Samaj’s transformative journey through its contributions in education, social reform, and spiritual upliftment.
The Summit seeks to honour Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati’s reformist and educational legacy, celebrate 150 years of Arya Samaj’s service in education, social reform, and nation-building, and inspire global awareness of Vedic principles and Swadeshi values in alignment with Viksit Bharat 2047.
(With inputs from agencies)
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