Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met soldiers at Nowshera sector in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of Diwali.
Addressing the soldiers in Nowshera, PM Modi said the place, which has recently witnessed encounters between the Army and terrorists, was a living example of soldiers' valour.
Modi, who has been celebrating Diwali with troops since 2014, said that "the bravery of the soldiers added colour to the festival of lights." "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," he said, adding that he was there as a family member and not as a Prime Minister.
"Our soldiers are the 'suraksha kawach' of 'Bharat Maa'. It is because of you all that people of our country can sleep peacefully and there is happiness during festivals," the prime minister said.
PM Modi lauded the brigade for the role it played during the surgical strike.
Hiting out at the previous government, PM Modi said, "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 the only way to change old methods.
Army chief General M M Naravane had carried out an aerial reconnaissance of forward areas, including Rajouri, on Wednesday and he was briefed about the prevailing security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Jammu region.
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(Published 04 November 2021, 06:57 IST)
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