India will take steps to protect its interests: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sent out a clear message to Pakistan saying India has taken steps to protect its interests and will continue to do so.

He described the country’s victory in Kargil as symbol of India's might, determination and capability that still inspires the whole country.

Addressing a large number of military personnel and ex-servicemen at an event in the national capital to commemorate 20 years of Kargil war, Modi hailed the valour of soldiers and also recalled the steps taken by his government in the last five years for the welfare of soldiers and their family members.

He cited the implementation of One Rank One Pension and stressed that as soon as his second government was formed, it decided to increase scholarship of the wards of security personnel.

Stressing that wars are fought not by governments but by the whole country, the prime minister recalled the sacrifices made by soldiers from various states and various communities to hammer home the point that patriotism is not confined to any particular religious or linguistic community.

Calling for modernization of forces and coordinated functioning of all three forces—the Army, the Navy and the Air force— Modi said the nation’s security is impregnable and will remain so.

He said the county will touch new heights of development only when it is secure.

Recalling how Indian security forces defeated Pakistan’s designs when the latter tried to redraw the boundaries in 1999 through the Kargil misadventure, the prime minister said that Pakistan had then not visualized that India will give an effective reply.

Accusing Pakistan of engaging in “cheating” since beginning, be it in 1965 or 1971, Modi said that the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpyee in 1999 gave an effective reply to Pakistan and punctured its conspiracy.

Lambasting forces which are backing terror, he urged international community to come together and fight it to the finish.

This was a day after Modi tweeted his pictures with soldiers of Kargil regarding his visit there during the war time in 1999 to show solidarity with soldiers. Then he was working for the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in Himachal Pradesh. He said that he felt like being in a pilgrimage when he visited Kargil then.