DH NEWS SERVICE
new delhi, Sept 19
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has stated that no war is fought only on the battlefield and the victory in war is the result of the collective resolve of the entire nation. He was addressing an event to commemorate the diamond jubilee of the 1965 war against Pakistan, organized at the South Block here on Friday.
Paying tributes to the brave hearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, Singh said, “Pakistan thought it could frighten us through infiltration, guerrilla tactics and surprise attacks, but little did it know that every Indian soldier serves the motherland with the feeling that the sovereignty and integrity of the nation will never be compromised at any cost.”
The defence minister further highlighted the bravery and patriotism displayed by the Indian soldiers during various battles fought during the war, including the Battle of Asal Uttar, Battle of Chawinda and Battle of Phillora.
Making a special mention of the Param Vir Chakra awardee Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid, who laid down his life while destroying numerous enemy tanks under barrage of machine gun and tank fire during the Battle of Asal Uttar, the defence minister said, “Our brave Abdul Hamid taught us that bravery is not about the size of the weapon, it is about the size of the heart. His valor teaches us that even in the most difficult circumstances, the combination of courage, restraint and patriotism can make the impossible possible.”
“No war is fought only on the battlefield; victory in war is the result of the collective resolve of the entire nation. During that time in 1965, India managed to face the uncertainty and challenges, also due to the strong-willed leadership of Lal Bahadur Shastri ji. He not only provided decisive political leadership, but also raised the morale of the entire nation to greater heights. Even under adverse circumstances, we displayed unity and won the war,” he went on to add.
Speaking about Operation Sindoor, the defence minister said that the cowardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam still fills our hearts with pain and grief. “It shook us, but didn’t break our morale. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a pledge to teach terrorists a lesson they never could have imagined.
“Operation Sindoor showed our enemies how strong we are. The coordination and courage with which our forces executed the operation is proof that victory is no longer an exception for us; it has become our habit. We must always maintain this habit,” he said.
He also reiterated the Government’s unwavering resolve towards the dignity and welfare of the serving soldiers, veterans and the families of the fallen heroes, terming it as “top priority”.
“Our resolve of defence modernisation, better training of soldiers and equipment upgrades are aimed to ensure that the forces never face a lack of resources,” he said.
Later, the Union Minister also interacted with the brave veterans and the families of the fallen heroes of the 1965 war.
