Visakhapatnam, Aug. 26 -- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India has never believed in aggressive expansionism, but asserted that the country knows how to respond when its security is threatened.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of two multi-mission stealth frigates, Udaygiri and Himgiri, in Visakhapatnam, Singh underlined the importance of strengthening maritime preparedness amid evolving regional challenges.

"Our objective is not power projection. India has never believed in aggressive expansionism. The whole world knows that we have never attacked any country first, nor have we ever tried to provoke anyone. But this does not mean that we will ever back down. When our security is threatened, we know how to give an ...