India must enhance its military capabilities in line with changing world, modes of war: Modi

Nowshera, November 4

India must enhance its military capabilities in line with the changing world and modes of war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday and noted that modern border infrastructure had been built to augment connectivity and troop deployment.

Modi made the remarks while addressing soldiers on the occasion of Diwali at Nowshera sector in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir.

The prime minister lauded the role played by the brigade here in surgical strikes. India had conducted the surgical strike on September 29, 2016, across the Line of Control (LoC) as a response to a terrorist attack on an Army base in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

Modi said many attempts were made to spread terrorism here after the surgical strike but they were given a befitting reply.

India must enhance its military capabilities in line with the changing world and modes of war, the prime minister said.

He said that connectivity in border areas had improved — be it from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh, Jaisalmer to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Borders and coastal areas lacking normal connectivity now have roads and optical fibres, and this boosts deployment capabilities as well as facilities for soldiers, the prime minister said.

Modi said that earlier the country had to depend mostly on imports in the defence sector but with his government’s attempts indigenous capabilities had got a boost.

He hailed the courage of soldiers and said their capability and strength had ensured peace and security for the country.

“I want to spend Diwali with family members, so I join you on this festival,” he said.

Official sources shared photographs of him at an Army post in Nowshera. PTI