‘Not very lucky’ on security front, must stay vigilant: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India was “not a very lucky” nation on the security front and urged soldiers to keep a sharp eye on internal and external foes, who he said, were always active.

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He was this while addressing Army personnel at the Mhow cantonment (which is more than two-century-old) in the Indore district of Madhya Pradesh. “Taking the security scenario into account, Bharat is not a very lucky country because our northern border and western border continuously face challenges,” said Singh, who is on a two-day tour of the state.

Mhow Cantonment, 25 km from Indore, is home to three premier training institutes — Army War College, Military College of Telecommunication Engineering and Infantry School — other than the Infantry Museum and Army Marksmanship Unit.

“We also face challenges on the internal front. In the backdrop of this, we can’t sit quiet, unconcerned. Our enemies, whether internal or external, always remain active. In these circumstances, we must keep an eye on their activities and take appropriate and timely steps against them,” he told the Army personnel.

“Army has a crucial role in making Bharat a developed and self-reliant country...as the country’s Defence Minister, I would like to tell you that we should always be alert. This patch of time, though often referred to as peacetime, struck me deeply when I arrived and witnessed the discipline and dedication with which you are undergoing training. Your regimen is no less than what is followed during a war,” he said.

Earlier, Singh along with the Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi paid floral tributes at the memorial of Dr B R Ambedkar at Mhow.