Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed that the young Agniveers will make the Armed Forces more youthful and tech-savvy. He addressed the first batch of Agniveers of the three Services, who have commenced their basic training, via video conferencing on Monday.
Hailing the potential of Agniveers, he said that their spirit is reflective of the bravery of the Armed Forces which has always kept the flag of the nation flying high. He said that the experience which they will acquire through this opportunity will be a source of pride for life.
Modi said that ‘New India’ is filled with renewed vigour, and efforts are underway to modernise the Armed Forces as well as make them ‘Aatmanirbhar’. He said that in the 21st century, the way wars are fought is changing.
Discussing the new fronts of contactless warfare and challenges of cyber warfare, he said technologically-advanced soldiers will play a key role in the Armed Forces. He added the current generation of youth especially have this potential and so the Agniveers will play a leading role in our armed forces in the times to come.
The Prime Minister also spoke about how the scheme will further empower women. He expressed happiness at how women Agniveers are adding pride to the Naval forces, and said that he looks forward to seeing women Agniveers in all three forces. The Prime Minister also recalled how women are leading armed forces on various fronts, citing examples of woman soldier posted in Siachen and women driving modern fighter planes.
In his welcome remarks, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that strengthening the security apparatus of the country is the Government’s top-most priority amidst the ever-evolving global scenario and geopolitical uncertainty. In such a situation, the AGNIPATH scheme will make the profile of the Armed forces more youthful and tech-savvy, he said.
