In keeping with his tradition of spending Diwali with armed forces, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent this Diwali (24th October) with the Indian forces in Kargil.
Addressing them during his visit, the Prime Minister said that the reverence for the soil of Kargil always draws him towards the brave members of the armed forces. “For years, you have been a part of my family”, the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister Modi underlined that the sweetness of Diwali increases in the presence of the Soldiers and the light of Diwali that is present among them emboldens his spirit. “On one side there are the sovereign borders of the nation, and on the other committed soldiers. On the one hand, we are our love for the soil of our motherland, and on the other, there are brave heart Soldiers. I could not have expected a Diwali of such magnitude anywhere else”.
The Prime Minister remarked that India gleefully celebrates these sagas of valour and bravery that are part of our traditions and cultures. “Today, from the victorious lands of Kargil,” the Prime Minister said, “I wish a very happy Diwali to everyone in India and the world.”
The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir. The cause of the war was the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants into positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control, which serves as the de facto border between the two nations. Pakistan blamed the fighting entirely on independent Kashmiri insurgents; however, documents left behind by casualties and later statements by Pakistan’s Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff showed the involvement of Pakistani paramilitary forces. The Indian Army, supported by the air force, attacked the Pakistani positions and, with international diplomatic support, eventually forced a Pakistani withdrawal across the Line of Control (LoC).
The Indian Prime Minister recalled that he was a witness to the Kargil war and had watched it closely. He expressed gratitude toward the authorities for preserving and showing 23-year-old photographs of the Prime Minister when he had come to spend time with the Soldiers when they were giving a fitting reply to the enemies during the war. “As an ordinary citizen, my Kartavya Path had led me to the battlefield”, the Prime Minister remarked.
Prime Minister Modi recalled that he had come to drop off the food collected by the villagers and he said that it was a moment of worship for him. Commenting on the atmosphere at that time, the Prime Minister said it was a unique call to commit body and soul to the cause, and cries of victory filled the air around them.
“The India that we revere is not just a geographical territory but a living spirit, a constant consciousness, an immortal existence”, he added. He noted that when speaking of India, the eternal picture of India’s culture comes to the fore, the circle of legacy manufactures itself and the model of India’s might starts to grow. He further added that India is a stream of such weaponry that begins on one end begins with the sky-high Himalayas and encompasses the Indian Ocean.
While ruminating about the many flourishing civilisations of the past that were decimated but the existence of India’s cultural stream remained uninterrupted, he noted that a nation becomes immortal only the brave sons and daughters of the land show complete faith in their strength and resources.
The Indian Prime Minister explained that the battlefield of Kargil is a testament to the courage of the Indian Army. “Dras, Batalik and Tiger Hill are proof that enemies sitting on a mountaintop were dwarfed before the courage and valour of the Indian Armed Forces”. , Shri Modi remarked. He said that those guarding India’s borders are the resilient pillars of India’s security.
He further added that a country is secure only when its borders are secure, its economy is robust and the society is filled with self-confidence. The Prime Minister remarked that the morale of the entire nation goes up when we hear news about the strength of the country.
The Prime Minister explained that it is the result of India successfully taking the fight against both external and internal enemies. “You are standing as a shield on the border while strict action is being taken against the enemies within the country.” He added that India has made a successful attempt to uproot terrorism, Naxalism and extremism. Speaking on Naxalism that had once engulfed a large part of the country, the Prime Minister said that its scope is continuously shrinking. Speaking on corruption, the Prime Minister remarked that India is fighting a decisive war. “No matter how powerful the corrupt may be, he cannot escape the law.”
Elaborating on India’s advancement in technologies in modern warfare, PM Modi said that the nature of future wars is bound to change and in this new era, India is preparing the military strength to meet the new challenges, new methods and changing requirements of national defence. Speaking on the need for major reforms in the army whose requirements were felt for decades, the Prime Minister assured that all possible steps are being taken so that there is better coordination of the armed forces to take swift action against every challenge.
Highlighting the country’s security and modern indigenous weapons in Indian armies, the Prime Minister said that a decision had been taken to minimize India’s dependence on foreign weapons and systems and pledged to be self-reliant. “I admire our three armies, who have decided that more than 400 pieces of defence equipment will no longer be bought from abroad, and will now be made in India itself”, he said.
Pointing out the benefits of using indigenous weapons, the Prime Minister said that when the Soldiers of India fight with the weapons made in the country, their faith will be at its peak and their attacks will come with a surprise element for the enemy while crushing the enemy’s morale. The Prime Minister gave the examples of Prachand – Light Combat Helicopters, Tejas Fighter Jets, and the colossal aircraft carrier Vikrant, and also highlighted India’s missile strength in Arihant, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul, Pinak and Arjun.
PM Modi pointed out that today, India has become an exporter of defence equipment while strengthening its missile defence system, and also working rapidly on modern and effective technology such as drones.
However, he explained that despite fortifying India’s weaponry and military readiness, India is always in favour of world peace. “We are against war, but peace is not possible without strength.” He added that the Indian forces have the capability and the strategy, and if someone looks at India in a wrong manner, the Indian armies also know how to respond to the enemy in their language.
The Prime Minister underlined that the eyes of the whole world today are on India and its growth potential. The Indian Prime Minister said that the Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal is going to be a real witness to India’s power. “Your role in this is huge because you are the Pride of India”, the Prime Minister remarked. He concluded his address by reciting a poem dedicated to the Soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces.
Modi, in 2017, was in the Gurez sector in North Kashmir, while in 2018, he celebrated Diwali in Harsil in Uttarakhand which was followed by a visit to Kedarnath. After being re-elected to the high office in 2019, Modi celebrated Diwali in Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2020, he was at a border post of Longewala on Diwali, while last year, he was in Nowshera.
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