As face-offs continue at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday cautioned China that India is a peace loving nation but will hit back strongly if provoked. He also paid tributes to the 20 Indian army personnel including the commanding officer who were killed in a brawl with the Chinese troops in the Galwan valley a year ago.
Dedicating 12 strategically important roads built by the Border Roads Organisation(BRO) to the nation in the north east, particularly Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, on Thursday, Rajnath said India is a priest of world peace but any serious disturbance to peace and tranquility in border areas would have adverse implications.
“We seek world peace (but) if someone shows us an aggressive attitude, we will respond,” Singh said, adding the “new roads will help secure international borders”.
The defence minister said, “Last year in Galwan Valley, our soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in line of duty. I salute all brave soldiers who laid down their lives fighting for the nation.”
Highlighting the significance of the 12 roads including 10 in Arunachal Pradesh and one each in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, he said they will not only give a boost in connectivity but would facilitate faster movement of troops along the international border.
He made these observations in an event organized in Lakhimpur district of Assam. The defence minister dedicated the roads virtually in the presence of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh chief ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Pema Khandu respectively.