Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday took a thinly veiled swipe at U.S. President Donald Trump over rising trade tensions, suggesting that some countries are uncomfortable with India’s rapid growth and believe they should remain in charge of global affairs.

“Some people are jealous of India’s progress. They think, ‘we’re the boss of everyone,’” Singh said, speaking at an event in Madhya Pradesh. He pointed out that there are efforts to make Indian-made goods more expensive on the international market so they lose their competitive edge.

“When products made by Indian hands become more expensive than those made abroad, people will stop buying them,” he warned.

His comments come amid growing trade friction between India and the U.S., following Washington’s decision to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports. India has criticized the move, calling it “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable,” and said it will take necessary steps to safeguard its national interest.

Despite these challenges, Singh said India’s momentum is unstoppable.

“With the speed at which India is moving forward, I can say with full confidence that no power in the world can stop it from becoming a major global force,” he said.

Referring to the defence sector, Singh noted that India once depended heavily on foreign suppliers for aircraft, weapons, and other military equipment. That, he said, is changing rapidly.

“Today, many of these systems are being made right here in India, by Indian hands. Not only are we meeting our own defence needs, but we’re also exporting to other countries,” he added.