India must enhance its military capabilities in line with the changing world and modes of war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday and noted that modern border infrastructure has been built to augment connectivity and troop deployment. Modi made the remarks while addressing soldiers on the occasion of Diwali at Nowshera sector in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir.
He hailed the courage of soldiers and said their capability and strength has ensured peace and security for the country. “I want to spend Diwali with family members, so I join you on this festival,” he said. Since taking over as prime minister, Modi has made it a point to meet troops in a border region on Diwali, starting from a visit to Siachen in 2014. Official sources shared photographs of him at an Army post in Nowshera.
Modi shared sweets with soldiers in the Nowshera sector. His visit follows his return from the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
On September 29, 2016, the Indian Army claimed to have carried out “surgical strikes on terror launchpads” across the Line of Control to neutralise alleged infiltrators the previous night. The strikes followed an attack on an Army base in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri, in which 17 Indian soldiers were killed.
“In the surgical strike, your role fills everyone with pride,” Modi said at Nowshera. “I will remember that day forever as it was decided that all soldiers should return before sunset. And I was looking at my phone continuously to see if all the jawans have returned or not.”
He called the Army soldiers the “protection shield” of the country. “It is because of you all that people of our country can sleep peacefully and there is happiness during festivals,” Modi said.
The prime minister noted that women officers were getting permanent commission in the Army and said that their role in the security of the country was “touching new heights”.
