‘Pillars of strength’: Prez, PM laud Army personnel on 76th Army Day
New Delhi/lucknow: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday greeted Army personnel on the 76th Army Day and said that their patriotism remains a great source of inspiration for all citizens.
“In situations of conflict as well as peace, our valiant soldiers are ever ready to serve the nation in every way they can. Today, a grateful nation pays tribute to those who have laid down their lives for the motherland and salutes the spirit of the Indian Army! I offer my best wishes to all members of the Army,” she said in a post on X.
“Greetings to the Army personnel, veterans and their families on Army Day! The Indian Army has a long tradition of exemplary bravery, guarding the nation’s borders with utmost dedication. Their patriotism remains a great source of inspiration for all citizens,” the President added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the unwavering commitment and sacrifices of Army personnel on the Army Day on Monday, and said they are pillars of strength and resilience.
He also took to X and said: “On Army Day, we honour the extraordinary courage, unwavering commitment and sacrifices of our Army personnel. Their relentless dedication in protecting our nation and upholding our sovereignty is a testament to their bravery. They are pillars of strength and resilience.”
Addressing the 76th Army Day parade in Lucknow, General Pande said, “On the western front, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is under control. But in the past few months, there has been an increase in terrorist activities in the southern region of Pir Panjal and Rajouri-Poonch.”
“There is a ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC), but from the attempts made to infiltrate, it is clear that the terror infrastructure across the border is still intact. Attempts to infiltrate have been foiled by the Army while maintaining complete alertness,” he said.
The Army chief underlined that the number of terror-related incidents has seen a significant drop in the interior areas of Jammu and Kashmir due to the continuous efforts of the security forces.
“We are working with all the stakeholders in a committed manner to uproot and end the terror network in the country,” he said.
“In the past few years, there have been important peace accords and peace dialogues with local insurgent groups. As a result of this, there has been a positive development in the region. The proactive policies of the government have played a major role in restoring peace.”
He said the situation in ethnic strife-torn Manipur has been brought under control due to the government being proactive and the efforts of the Indian Army.
Army Day is observed on January 15 to mark Field Marshall K M Cariappa taking over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, replacing his British predecessor in 1949.
