Dras (Ladakh): On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, India’s Defence minister Rajnath Singh took a jab at Pakistan on Sunday, highlighting the sharp contrast in developments in the two neighbouring nations.
“Today, the paths of India and Pakistan are completely different. India is building a Start-up eco-system, while Pakistan is building a terror eco-system. India is doing chip design, while Pakistan is engaged in terror design. India is leading in innovation and development, while Pakistan is in terrorism and infiltration,” Rajnath said in his address to Army personnel in Ladakh’s Dras on Sunday.
Rajnath further said India is engaged in setting up data centres, while Pakistan is busy building radicalisation centres. “While India is connecting the world through UPI, Pakistan is connecting terrorism through hawala… While India is manufacturing semiconductors, Pakistan is producing suicide bombers,” Rajnath mocked.
The Defence minister cautioned Pakistan to refrain from any “misadventures” aimed at hindering India’s progress. “Our paths are different. If Pakistan attempts to obstruct our progress through its nefarious designs, our brave armed forces are fully prepared to give a befitting reply.”
He reiterated the government’s policy that any dialogue with Islamabad will only be regarding Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which he emphasised is a part of India.
Rajnath presided over the ‘Shradhanjali Samaroh’ (wreath-laying ceremony) at the Kargil War Memorial.
The Indian Army hosted a ‘Shaurya Sandhya’ at the war memorial, honouring the courage and spirit displayed by Indian soldiers during Operation Vijay in 1999 and paying rich tributes to the fallen heroes.
A series of events has been organised in Dras to mark the 27th anniversary of Operation Vijay.
It was on this day, July 26th, that Indian soldiers snatched a glorious victory, braving snow-clad peaks and relentless firing by Pakistani troops to reclaim the heights of Kargil.
Operation Vijay was the name given to India’s limited war after the neighbouring country’s infiltration. Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorates the culmination of Operation Vijay on July 26, 1999.