He emphasised on the importance of innovation in the ever-changing circumstances in the world

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday stressed the need for maintaining traditions of the armed forces while adopting innovation and said there has to be a balance between both of them.

Addressing the Combined Graduation Parade at Air Force Academy at Dundigul near here, Singh opined that following traditions would only make the system like stagnant water in a lake, and if it is coupled with innovation, it will become a river always providing fresh water.

Traditions are important in the armed forces, because they are time tested. They served useful purposes for a long time. That's why giving proper importance to the traditions is also necessary. There is one important thing. If we follow traditions without any thinking, there will be stagnation in our system naturally, the union minister said.

He emphasised on the importance of innovation in the ever-changing circumstances in the world.

Singh also exhorted the newly commissioned flying officers to always keep up their new thinking and ideology.