E-Paper
We are peace-loving but not afraid of war: Rajnath Singh
The defence minister was addressing an event wherein he felicitated the families of the brave soldiers of the Armed Forces, hailing from Himachal Pradesh, who laid down their lives in the service of the nation at Badoli in Kangra district
“India is a peace-loving country, but it should not be mistaken for being cowardly or afraid of war,” defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday.
The defence minister was addressing an event wherein he felicitated the families of the brave soldiers of the Armed Forces, hailing from Himachal Pradesh, who laid down their lives in the service of the nation at Badoli in Kangra district.
Asserting that India has always given the message of peace to the world and has never captured an inch of a foreign land, Singh asserted that if any attempt is ever made to disturb the harmony in India, a befitting reply will be given.
“At a time when India was dealing with COVID-19 along with the entire world, we had to face the tension on the northern border with China. The courage of our soldiers during the Galwan incident proved that no matter how big the power is, India will never bow down,” he said
Speaking about the 2016 surgical strike and 2019 airstrike, Singh said that India’s new strategy against terrorism has broken the backs of those who try to hurt the unity and integrity of the Nation.
“Terror activities were carried out from across the border in Pakistan under a well-thought-out policy,” he said.
After the Uri and Pulwama attacks, the Defence Minister said, our armed forces displayed to the world India’s unwavering commitment to root out terrorism.
“We showed that our forces can act on this side and, if needed, on the other side of the border. India’s image has been transformed. It is now seriously listened to on international platforms,” he said.
Reiterating the government’s resolve to make India self-dependent in the defence sector, Singh India was now among the top 25 defence exporter and its defence export has increased from ₹900 Cr to ₹13,000 Cr in eight years and will reach ₹35,000 Cr by 2025 and ₹2.7 lakh crores by 2047.
Rajnath Singh added that the formation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff and the setting up of the Department of Military Affairs are some of the major reforms taken to bolster national security. “Doors of National Defence Academy (NDA) have been opened for girls, they are being given a permanent commission and also deployed on warships,” he said.
He said Himachal Pradesh as a border state was strategically important for India and the people residing in the border areas as strategic assets. He pointed out that hundreds of km of roads, bridges and tunnels have been constructed in the border areas, with Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh being one of the mega projects.
The defence minister described the ex-servicemen as the assets of the country, stressing that no price can be set for their sacrifices in the service of the motherland. He reiterated the Government’s commitment and duty toward the well-being and welfare of the veterans.
Paying respects to the families of the war heroes, Singh said that the country will forever be indebted to the sacrifices made by the valiant soldiers.
Armed Forces will always be a source of inspiration to the people, especially the youth, as they possess the traits of discipline, devotion to duty, patriotism & sacrifice, he said.
