Our soldiers are 'suraksha kawach' of 'Maa Bharti': PM Narendra Modi in J&K

"Our soldiers are the ‘suraksha kawach’ of `Maa Bharti`. It is because of you all that people of our country can sleep peacefully and there is happiness during festivals," the Prime Minister said while addressing the soldiers at Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmir.

Nowshera: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded the Indian soldiers for guarding the country’s borders and described them as the "suraksha kawach" (armour) of the nation. The Prime Minister further said that it is because of the Indian soldiers that people can sleep peacefully. 

"Our soldiers are the ‘suraksha kawach’ of `Maa Bharti`. It is because of you all that people of our country can sleep peacefully and there is happiness during festivals," the Prime Minister said while addressing the soldiers at the Nowshera sector in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. 

"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.

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Indian Army Jawans chorused 'Bharat Mata Ki Ji' slogan at Nowshera, J&K pic.twitter.com/RcJ7ksai0f — ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2021

During his speech, the Prime Minister noted that modern border infrastructure is being built to augment connectivity and troop deployment and stressed that "India must enhance its military capabilities in line with the changing world and modes of war."

PM Modi lauded the role played by the brigade here in surgical strikes. It may be noted that 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.

Jammu and Kashmir | Prime Minister Narendra Modi honours and interacts with veterans at Nowshera pic.twitter.com/cTOfpjp9Ly — ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2021

PM 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 has 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.

PM Modi also said that earlier the country had to depend mostly on imports in the defence sector but with his government's attempts indigenous capabilities have gotten a boost.

He wholeheartedly hailed the courage of soldiers and said their capability and strength has ensured peace and security for the country. The Prime Minister also continued with his annual tradition of celebrating Diwali with soldiers. 

Jammu and Kashmir | Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrates #Diwali with army soldiers at Nowshera pic.twitter.com/gSLV2jbn4b — ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier arrived in Nowshera, Jammu to celebrate Diwali with soldiers maintaining the past tradition.

#WATCH "I am not here as a PM but as your family member to celebrate Diwali," PM Modi to army personnel at Nowshera in Jammu & Kashmir pic.twitter.com/YJOb1sVGvE — ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2021

The Nowshera sector, along the Line of Control (LoC), is situated in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district. PM Modi has been celebrating Diwali with Indian soldiers ever since he took the office of the Prime Minister in 2014.

The Prime Minister had arrived in Delhi on Tuesday after concluding his 5-day trip to Rome and UK for attending the COP26 Climate Summit. The Prime Minister also extended his greetings to people on the occasion of Diwali and wished that the auspicious festival of light brings "happiness, prosperity and good fortune."

Last year, PM Modi while celebrating Diwali with soldiers at Longewala in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan had said that as long as the Indian soldiers are present, this country`s Diwali celebrations would continue in full swing and be luminescent.

In 2019, the Prime Minister had celebrated Diwali with soldiers in the Rajouri district along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. He had called soldiers as his family and lauded them for guarding the borders even during festivals. He had exchanged Diwali greetings with the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel at Pathankot Air Force Station.

In 2018, Prime Minister Modi had celebrated Diwali with jawans of the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), at Harsil in Uttarakhand. Following that he had offered prayers at the Kedarnath shrine. 

In 2017, the Prime Minister celebrated the festival of light with army soldiers and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in the Gurez Valley of Jammu and Kashmir`s Bandipora District. 

In 2016, the PM went to Himachal Pradesh to celebrate the festival with Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel at an outpost. He visited the Punjab border to celebrate Diwali with soldiers in 2015. 

In 2014, Prime Minister Modi spent Diwali in Siachen with soldiers. Notably, PM Modi has been visiting soldiers on Diwali, ever since he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.