Courtesy:The Gulf Indians
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the Indian Armed forces in Ladakh, lauded their dedication with which they are protecting the country. Mr. Modi said their willpower is as firm as the mountains where they are posted. The Prime Minister also paid tributes to the soldiers martyred in the Galwan Valley clash.

The Prime Minister said, â€œFriends, your dedication to the protection of motherland is matchless. The conditions in which you are protecting and serving India, nobody in the world can compete with that. The bravery that you and your compatriots showed, a message has gone to the world about Indiaâ€™s strength. Your courage is higher than the heights where you are posted today.â€

â€œYour willpower is as firm as the mountains which we can see. Today, I can feel and see with my eyes that when the duty of protection of India is in your hands, the whole country believes in you and they feel relaxed. This inspires the citizens to work day and night for the country,â€ he said
â€œThe courage which you all and your peers showed has sent across the message across the world about Indiaâ€™s strength. I can see women, soldiers, too. This inspires us more,â€ the Prime Minister said.

Paying his tributes to the soldiers who were martyred in the Galwan valley clash, Mr. Modi said, â€œThe bravery of 14 Corps will be talked about everywhere. Tales of your bravery and valour are echoing in every house in the country. Bharat Mataâ€™s enemies have seen your fire and fury.â€

â€œThose who are weak can never initiate peace, bravery is a pre-requisite for peace. Whether World Wars or peace, whenever the need arises, the world has seen the victory of our braves and their efforts towards peace. We have worked for the betterment of humanity,â€ he said.

Mr. Modi said, â€œWe are the same people who pray to the flute playing Lord Krishna but we are also the same people who idolise and follow the same Lord Krishna who carries the â€˜Sudarshana Chakra'â€
The Prime Minister contrasted vistaarvaad (Expansionism) with vikasvaad (Developmental growth), in an unmentioned but direct assessment of China, and slammed powers that tried to use expansionism.

Mr. Modi, accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief M.M. Naravane, reached Leh around 9.30 am, sources said. He visited one of the forward locations in Nimu where he interacted with personnel of the Army, Air Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

The Prime Minister was also briefed by senior Army officers. Located at 11,000 feet, Nimu is among the toughest terrains, on the banks of river Indus and surrounded by the Zanskar range.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has called a meet of core ministers back in Delhi. Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and other PMO officials will attend the meeting, sources said.

The Prime Ministerâ€™s visit, which comes as an almost unforeseeable development, assumes massive significance on account of India being engaged in multifaceted tensions with China, leading the world in this regard as anti-China sentiment grows.

Modi lauds armed forces for dedication, valour