'Aim of Agnipath is to make Army Young, Some Doing Politics Over National Security: PM's Dig at Oppn

Dras: As India observes the 25th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas on Friday, July 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address at Ladakh's Kargil launched a scathing attack on the opposition for politicising the Agnipath scheme.

"The country has felt the need for major reforms in the defence sector for decades. The army has been demanding this for years, but unfortunately, it was not given enough importance earlier. The Agnipath scheme is also an example of the necessary reforms done in the Army. For decades, discussions have been going on in Parliament and many committees on making the army young," the PM said during his address.

He further added that people who are misleading the youth of the country are proof that they don't care about soldiers

"These are the same people who lied on OROP by showing a meagre amount of Rs 500 crore. It is our government that implemented the charges. More than Rs 1.25 lakh crore was given to ex-servicemen," the continued.

PM Modi also raised concerns over the average age of soldiers in India being higher than the global average and Agnipath resolved the matter.

"The average age of Indian soldiers being more than the global average has been a cause of concern. That is why this issue has also been raised in many committees for years. However, the will to solve this challenge related to the security of the country was not shown earlier. The country has addressed this concern through the Agneepath scheme," he said.

"Some people used to think that the Army means saluting politicians, doing parades but for us, the Army means the faith of 140 crore countrymen. The goal of Agneepath is to make the army young. The goal of Agneepath is to keep the army continuously fit for war," the PM asserted.

Earlier, the Prime Minister also virtually carried out the first launch of the Shinkun La Tunnel project in Ladakh's Kargil.

The Shinkun La Tunnel Project consists of a 4.1-kilometre-long twin-tube tunnel which will be constructed at an altitude of approximately 15,800 feet on the Nimu-Padum-Darcha Road to provide necessary all-weather connectivity to Leh, the PMO release states.  

Once completed, this tunnel will be the highest in the world. The Shinkun La tunnel will not only ensure swift and efficient movement of our armed forces and equipment but also foster economic and social development in Ladakh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in the 1999 Kargil War. He laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memoria in Drass, Ladakh, on the occasion of the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed annually on July 26, to commemorate the success of Operation Vijay in 1999. During this operation, the Indian forces successfully reclaimed strategic positions in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir that had been infiltrated by Pakistani soldiers and terrorists.

(Inputs from ANI)