Dras, Kargil: Defending his government’s decision to introduce the Agnipath scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated its stance Friday that the scheme was aimed at bringing down the age profile of the armed forces.
“The aim of the Agnipath scheme is to reduce the age profile of the forces. The aim of Agnipath scheme is to keep the forces continuously fit (nirantar yogya) and battle-ready,” he said, speaking on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas at Dras.
He added that the Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed on 26 July each year to mark India’s victory in the 1999 Kargil conflict with Pakistan, is testament to the fact that sacrifices made for the country are always immortal.
Days, weeks, months pass and even ages pass, seasons change but sacrificing one’s life for the nation cannot be erased, he said.
Modi’s remarks come amid criticism from the Opposition as well as armed forces veterans, who have called for a withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme.
Taking aim at critics of the scheme, Modi said “some people” are spreading the idea that the government is focused on saving the armed forces pensions bill.
“I am ashamed of this mentality that some people have,” he added.
Agniveers inducted today will claim pension only 30 years later, he said. “By that time, Modi will be 105-years-old. By that time, Modi government will not be in power. Is Modi the kind of politician that when he is 105-years-old 30 years later, he will hear adverse remarks for it today?”
Speaking on the modernisation of the armed forces, he said the services have in recent years taken many bold decisions in the defence sector. “One of the important decisions taken by the armed forces is the Agnipath scheme.” He went on to congratulate the forces for those decisions.
He further said that for decades there had been discussions to bring down the average age of the armed forces and at par with global practices.
“Despite a number of committees having suggested this, no action was taken on this issue which is directly related to the security of the country. Some people’s mentality was that the armed forces are limited to salutes and parades. However, for us, the armed forces are a hope for peace of 140 crore Indians. For us, the armed forces are a guarantee for the security of the country,” he said.
Adding, “But unfortunately, a subject that is so delicate and related to the security of the nation has been politicised.”
He also said that critics of the scheme are the very same people who were opposed to the Indian Air Force (IAF) getting modern fighter jets. “These are the very people who tried to shut the Tejas fighter jet in a box.”
“The truth is that the Agnipath scheme will make the nation stronger,” Modi said.
Stating that today’s geopolitical situation is very different from the past, he said, “That’s why our forces, along with arms and ammunition, need to be modern in their functioning as well. That’s why for decades, the country was waiting to see reforms in defence. The Army itself was asking for it.”
He added that the Army was not given the kind of importance it deserved earlier. In the past decade we have made reforms a priority within the defence sector, he said. “Due to these reforms, today our forces have become more able and aatmanirbhar (self-reliant).”
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J&K, Leh and Ladakh
Pointing out that next month will mark five years since the abrogation of Article 370, Modi said that everyone in Jammu and Kashmir is talking about a new future and bigger dreams. Besides infrastructure, the tourism sector is also growing speedily in J&K, Leh and Ladakh, he said.
Kashmir, he said, now has a functional cinema theatre after decades. “After three and a half decades, for the first time, tazia was organised in Srinagar.”
Even in Ladakh, there is a new streak of vikas (development), he said, adding that “work has begun for construction of Shinkun La tunnel”.
Once constructed, the tunnel will facilitate all-weather connectivity to Leh and will also be the ‘highest tunnel in the world’.
“Through the tunnel, Ladakh will stay connected year-round to the country throughout all seasons. It will open a new road for new opportunities for the development and better future of Ladakh,” he said.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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