‘India fighting terror, expansionism’
NEW DELHI: In his 88-minute Independence Day address from the Red Fort on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew the nation’s attention to the challenges India faces from terrorism and expansionism, in a veiled reference to Pakistansponsored terrorism and China‘s expansionist policy in Ladakh and its resolve to strengthen the capabilities of the armed forces.
The PM said India was fighting terrorism and expansionism with courage, and the government would take all steps to strengthen the capabilities of the armed forces. “Today, the world is looking at India from a new perspective and this vision has two important aspects...one terrorism and the other expansionism. India is fighting these two challenges and responding to them astutely and with great courage,” the PM said.
He said that the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 air strikes against terror pads in Pakistan sent a strong message to the country’s enemies about the emergence of a ‘new India’ and its resolve to take tough decisions. “India has given a stern signal to its enemies by conducting surgical and air strikes. This tells us that India is changing and can take the most difficult decisions and isn’t reluctant to implement them,” he said.
While the 2016 strikes against terror pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were India’s first direct military response to the suicide attack on an army camp in Uri, the air strikes against a Jaish-emohammed (JEM) terror facility in Pakistan’s Balakot followed the Pulwama attack.
The comments came a day after the government announced the country’s highest and second-highest peacetime gallantry awards — the Ashok Chakra and Kirti Chakra — for two Jammu and Kashmir personnel killed in encounters with terrorists.
The reference to the fight against expansionism assumes significance in the backdrop of the border row with China in eastern Ladakh where the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army are in talks to disengage their front-line troops from flashpoints on the contested Line of Actual Control. The Army announced on August 6 that the two armies had pulled back their forward deployed troops from Gogra or Patrol Point-17a, which was one of the friction points on LAC, with the breakthrough coming
after the 12th round of military talks held on July 31. Problems at Hot Springs and Depsang are yet to be resolved. India and China are locked in a border row for more than 15 months, a phase that witnessed a deadly skirmish in the Galwan Valley last year. The PM made a mention of aircraft carrier Vikrant, locally made light combat aircraft and submarines, underlining that the projects highlighted India’s indigenous manufacturing capability. India’s first indigenous
aircraft carrier (IAC) Vikrant, the largest warship to be built in the country, kicked off critical sea trials on August 3 ahead of its planned induction into the Navy in less than a year.
The PM also underlined India’s growing prowess in defence manufacturing and the government’s full commitment to boost Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the defence sector.
He also said Sainik Schools across the country would open their doors to girl students.