Mr. Singh asserted that there is no option but to bolster India’s security apparatus in view of the current global scenario

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Tuesday visited forward posts in Arunachal Pradesh where he interacted with troops deployed in the frontline locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and celebrated Dusshera with them. He also carried out first-hand, on-ground assessment of the operational preparedness of the armed forces there, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Mr. Singh performed Shastra Puja with the troops at Tawang, where he said that Dussehra signifies the victory of good over evil and described the righteousness and dharma of the armed forces personnel as the living testament to the ethos of the festival of Vijayadashmi, the statement said. “There is no option but to strengthen country’s security apparatus amid current global scenario; Government ensuring that all major weapons and platforms are made in India,” he said addressing the troops.

Talking of his recent visit to Italy, he referred to his visit to the Montone memorial, in Perugia province which has been built to honour the contribution of Naik Yaswant Ghadge and other Indian soldiers who fought in the Italian campaign to liberate Montone in World War II. He stated that not just Indians, but even Italian people pay their respects at the memorial, which is proof that the bravery of Indian soldiers is recognised globally, according to the statement.

Mr. Singh spoke of ‘Atmanirbharta’ (Self-Reliance) in defence while noting stating that India used to rely on imports in the past to upgrade the military. “But today, a number of major weapons and platforms are being manufactured within the country. Foreign companies are being encouraged to share their technology and produce the equipment in India with domestic industry. In 2014, the value of defence exports was about ₹1,000 crore, but today we are exporting defence equipment worth thousands of crores,” he said.

Mr. Singh also visited the Tawang War Memorial, where he laid a wreath and offered tributes to the those laid their lives during the 1962 war. He also visited the 4 Corps Headquarters at Tezpur. “The Defence Minister was briefed on the infrastructure development along the LAC and the employment of cutting-edge military equipment and technology to enhance the operational efficiency of the troops deployed in the frontline,” the Ministry added.