Drass, on the eve of the 27th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said here on Saturday that the “intention of infiltrators” had not changed since the 1999 conflict and also asserted that the Indian Army was “fully prepared” for any such challenges.
Addressing Army personnel at a function hosted by Shaurya Bhoj in Drass, he also said that the government has placed special emphasis on modernization of the armed forces and the endeavor is for the Army to get latest equipment and best training.
Singh arrived in Drass on Saturday evening to attend the Shaurya Sandhya – an event held at the Kargil War Memorial here as part of a two-day program to mark the anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorates the climax of Operation Vijay on July 26, 1999. The Army began the operation to reclaim Indian territory in the Kargil district that had been captured by Pakistani forces.
In an implicit reference to Pakistan, he said, “We must remember that even today the challenges have not diminished; the intent of the infiltrators has not changed, and even today it adopts tools such as proxy war or infiltration.”
“I am absolutely sure that our army is fully prepared to face any such challenges,” Singh said.
This is “our century, and the time to come is our century”, the Defense Minister said, and given the focus on Atmanirbharta, “I am sure that the Indian Armed Forces will become the best in the world.”
In his speech, he also saluted the armed forces and the valor of their soldiers.
“Today we are breathing freely and living with our heads held high, as our soldiers in Kargil, despite the drop in mercury and drop in oxygen levels, have not lowered their guard,” Singh said.
Singh said the pride he felt in Drass on this occasion could not be expressed in words.
He said he was confident that unless Indian soldiers possessed the invisible inner strength and nationalistic feeling, “no power in the world would dare to cast an evil eye on India.”
“In the past few years, I have had the opportunity to see many army traditions up close, and the most heart-touching tradition is the bada khana,” the minister said.
He said this was because it was the only occasion when a male and female officer would sit together and eat the same meal, demonstrating an excellent sense of teamwork.
“Your ability to transcend the restrictions that exist in society is your true strength. This strength alone enables us to win wars like the Kargil war,” Singh said.
This article was generated from an automated news feed without any modifications to the text.
