New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) We have to intensify the war against forces posing a challenge to India’s interests from within and abroad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted on Monday add- ing that threats to national security have now become widespread and the methods of warfare are changing. He was addressing Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation seminar ‘Swavlamban’ here.
“We have to intensify our war against forces challenging India’s self-confidence, our self-reliance. As India is establishing itself on the global stage, there are constant attacks through misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda. The forces that are harming India’s interests, whether in the country or abroad, have to be thwarted in their every effort,” he said. National defense is no longer limited to borders but is much broader, therefore it is equally necessary to make every citizen aware of it, the Prime Minister added.
“As we are moving for- ward with the ‘whole of the government’ approach for a self-reliant India, Similarly, the ‘whole of the nation’ approach is the need of the hour for the defense of the nation,” he said. “Earlier we used to imagine our de- fence only till land, sea, and sky. Now the circle is moving towards space, moving towards cyberspace, moving towards economic, social space,” he added. In such a scenario, the Prime Minister said that we have to move to anticipate future challenges and change ourselves accordingly. The goal of self-reliance in the Indian defense forces is very important for 21st-century India, he said. “When India is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the launching of 75 indigenous technologies is the step- ping stone towards our goal of building self-reliance in defense. By the time In- dia celebrates 100 years of independence, our defense should reach unprecedented heights,” he said.
