Indian Defense
‘My Festival Is Where You Are…’: PM Modi Tells Army Soldiers In Hamachi’s Lepcha On Diwali
Lepcha: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spent his Diwali morning with Indian Army soldiers in Himachal Pradesh’s Lepcha and extended festival greetings to the people of the country.
Addressing a gathering of soldiers at Lepcha, PM Modi extended his warm wishes to the security personnel posted at the borders and told them, “In the last 30-35 years, there has not been a single Diwali that I have not celebrated with you.”
“I come and celebrate Diwali every year with our Army personnel. It is said that Ayodhya is where Lord Ram is, but for me, Ayodhya is where Indian Army personnel are. My festival is where you are,” PM Modi said.
“When I was neither the Prime Minister nor the Chief Minister, I would go to the border areas during Diwali to celebrate with the security forces,” he said.
He further said that in every home in the country, a prayer is said for all soldiers guarding our borders.
“It is said that festival is celebrated only where there is family, but today, you all are stationed at the borders while being away from your families, it shows the pinnacle of your devotion to duty,” the Prime Minister said.
“For me, a place where security forces are deployed is no less than a temple,” he added.
PM Modi also lauded security forces for their contribution to nation-building, enhancing the country’s global prestige.
“Given the situation in the world today, expectations from India are continuously increasing. In such a situation, it is important that India’s borders remain secure. India is safe so long as its brave soldiers are standing on its borders, unflinching as the Himalayas. India’s Army and security forces have constantly contributed towards nation-building,” he said.
He noted that in the past years in the Indian Army, more than 500 women officers have been given permanent commissions. “Today, women pilots are flying fighter planes like Rafale,” he said.
He further emphasized that after Independence, Army personnel fought so many wars and won the country’s heart.
“In the International Peace Mission, India’s global image was improved because of them. Is there any such issue, to which our brave hearts have not provided solution?…” PM Modi said.
After reaching Lepcha village, the Prime Minster tweeted, “Reached Lepcha in Himachal Pradesh to celebrate Diwali with our brave security forces”, Prime Minister Modi said in a post on X.
Earlier in the day, he greeted people on Diwali and wished them joy, prosperity and health.
Troops of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Indian Army are stationed at Lepcha near the border with China.
Himachal Pradesh shares a 260-km border with China. Of the total length, 140 km is in tribal Kinnaur district, while 80 km is in the tribal Lahaul and Spiti district.
Five ITBP battalions deployed in 20 posts that guard the border with China.
Last year, Prime Minister Modi celebrated the festival of lights with soldiers in Kargil and said Diwali means the “festival of end of terror” and that Kargil had made it possible.
The Prime Minister has been celebrating the festival with soldiers for several years now. In 2019, the Prime Minister 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 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.
The solid-fuelled K-4 missile is being developed by DRDO to arm the country’s nuclear-powered submarines in the shape of INS Arihant and its under-development sister vessels. INS Arihant, which became fully operational in November 2018 to complete India’s nuclear triad, is currently armed with the much shorter K-15 missiles with a 750 km range.
“The K-4 is now virtually ready for its serial production to kick-off. The two tests have demonstrated its capability to emerge straight from underwater and undertake its parabolic trajectory,” said a source.
India has the land-based Agni missiles, with the over 5,000-km Agni-V inter-continental ballistic missile now in the process of being inducted, and fighter jets jury-rigged to deliver nuclear weapons. But INS Arihant gives the country’s deterrence posture much more credibility because nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles are considered the most secure, survivable and potent platforms for retaliatory strikes.
Once the K-4 missiles are inducted, they will help India narrow the gap with countries like the US, Russia and China, which have over 5,000-km range SLBMs. The K-4 missiles are to be followed by the K-5 and K-6 missiles in the 5,000-6,000 km range class.
The 6,000-ton INS Arihant, which is propelled by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor at its core, in turn, is to be followed by INS Arighat, which was launched in 2017. The next generation of nuclear submarines, currently called S-4 and S-4*, will be much larger in size.
India has received clearance to upgrade 84 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, which will result in 78% indigenization after the upgrade
In a significant step towards bolstering its military might with indigenously developed technology, India is poised to witness its Russian-origin Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets evolve into a domestic platform. Speaking at a recent lecture.
The upgrade program is being led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in partnership with the Indian Air Force and other partners. The upgrade is expected to cost US$7.5 billion.
This initiative is a part of a larger effort by the Indian Air Force to modernize its ageing fleet. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari asserted the critical role of an offensive air force as demonstrated in current global conflicts and emphasized India’s move towards an indigenized arsenal. To this end, the IAF has been proactive, from upgrading its Mirage 2000 to enhancing its MiG-29 fleet.
In summary, the IAF’s commitment to updating their combat forces with the latest technology, including shifting to fifth-generation fighter jets, ensures operational preparedness and a strong deterrence capability. The gradual indigenization of its air fleet marks a pivotal shift in India’s defence landscape, reducing dependency on foreign imports and fostering technological sovereignty.
According to unconfirmed reports, Armenia is a top contender for an export order for Akash SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
The Akash export version will also be slightly different from the one inducted by the armed forces. The 100-km range air-to-air Astra missiles, now entering production after successful trials from Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, also have “good export potential”, said sources.
Akash is a “tried, tested and successfully inducted systems”. Indian armed forces have ordered Akash systems worth Rs 24,000 crore over the years, and MoD inked a contract in Mar 2023 of over Rs 9,100 crores for improved Akash Weapon System
BDL is a government enterprise under the Ministry of Defence that was established in 1970. BDL manufactures surface-to-air missiles and delivers them to the Indian Army. BDL also offers its products for export.
Akash Weapon System
The AWS is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Air Defence System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In order to meet aerial threats, two additional Regiments of AWS with Upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the Northern borders. Improved AWS has Seeker Technology, Reduced Foot Print, 360° Engagement Capability and improved environmental parameters.
The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole. The project has overall indigenous content of 82% which will be increased to 93% by 2026-27.
The induction of the improved AWS into the Indian Army will increase India’s self-reliance in Short Range Missile capability. This project will play a role in boosting the overall economy by avoiding outgo of precious foreign exchange to other countries, increasing employment avenues in India and encouraging Indian MSMEs through components manufacturing. Around 60% of the project cost will be awarded to the private industry, including MSMEs, in maintaining the supply chain of the weapon system, thereby creating large scale of direct and indirect employment.
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