Prime Minister Narender Modi on Thursday said that the surgical strike conducted by the forces after the Uri terror attack signifies great professionalism and capability of the Indian Army to deal with any situation.
Addressing soldiers in the border area of Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, Prime Minister recalled that he was constantly on phone to ensure the last soldier returns home safely and all soldiers made him proud by returning to their unit safely.
"The role played by the Nowshera Brigade during the surgical strike fills everyone with pride. I will remember that day forever as it was decided that all soldiers should return before sunset. I was sitting beside the phone and was asking about the whereabouts of every soldier", the Prime Minister said.
He said many efforts were made post-surgical strike to disrupt peace in J&K. "Our forces kept their morale high and defeated all such moves by giving a befitting reply to all nefarious designs of the enemy," the Prime Minister said amid chanting of Bharat Mata Ki Jai.
Prime Minister continues the tradition of celebrating Diwali with soldiers
Following the tradition of celebrating Diwali with soldiers deployed on the border Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday reached the Nowshera sector in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir. He celebrated Diwali with the soldiers and later addressed them.
Addressing soldiers at the Nowshera sector amid chanting of 'Bharat Mata Ki Ji', the Prime Minister said, "I have spent each Diwali with soldiers guarding our borders. Today, I have brought along with me the blessings of crores of Indians for our soldiers here"
"Our soldiers are the 'Suraksha Kawach' of Maa Bharti. It is because of you all that people of our country can sleep peacefully and there is happiness during festivals," he told the soldiers.
Since taking over as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has made it a point to meet troops in a border region on Diwali, starting from a visit to Siachen in 2014.
Recalls supreme sacrifice of Brig Mohammad Usman
While hailing bravery and sacrifices of the soldiers of the Nowshera Brigade, Prime Minister recalled martyrdom of "Lion of Nowshera" Brigadier Mohammad Usman, Lieutenant R R Rana, and Naid Yadhunath Singh who foiled nefarious designs of the enemy. "Nowshera is a symbol of the strength of Indian Army", he said and added that soldiers of Nowshera scripted a chapter of bravery and sacrifices in the history of India.
The Prime Minister especially mentioned Brigadier Mohammad Usman, who is suffixed with the title of "Lion of Nowshera".
Brigadier Mohammad Usman was the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army who attained martyrdom in action during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. As a Muslim, Usman became a symbol of India's inclusive secularism. At the time of the partition of India, he with many other Muslim officers declined to move to the Pakistan Army and continued to serve with the Indian Army.
He was killed in July 1948 while fighting Pakistani soldiers and militia in Jammu and Kashmir. He was later awarded the second-highest military decoration for gallantry- the Maha Vir Chakra.
Dependence on foreign arms minimize
Prime Minister said that while the entire country celebrates Azadi ka Amrut Mahautsav to mark the 75 years of Independence, the government has new targets and new challenges ahead.
"There was a time when our forces were fully dependent on foreign arms. Even our soldiers would wait for the spare parts of defence equipment from the foreign countries. It would take years to receive such consignments. The army officer who would sign the procurement deal had to wait till his retirement to receive the same," the Prime Minister said, adding that the time has changed now.
"Earlier, it used to take years together to procure defence equipment for the security forces. The commitment to self-reliance in the defence sector is the only way to change old methods," he said.
"Connectivity in border areas has improved, be it from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh, Jaisalmer to Andaman & Nicobar Islands. This has helped us enhance our deployment capability," the Prime Minister said.
