Leaving no stone unturned to modernise forces: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government left no stone unturned to modernise armed forces in the last five years.

Addressing a gathering of soldiers here, Prime Minister Modi said that armed forces need modern material of warfare in the rapidly changing world.

"You must have seen that we have left no stone unturned to ensure that our forces are modern and mightier, and our soldiers are full of confidence," he said.

Calling the modernisation of forces as necessary, he said: "Time has changed. Our armed forces should be modern; our arms and ammunition should be most modern."

"Our training should be at par with the global benchmark. There should be no lines of stress on the faces of our jawans because of the scarcity of resources," added the PM.

The Prime Minister said that his government is taking decisions to modernise the forces at a faster pace.

Lauding soldiers for their valour, Modi said, "Be it airstrike, surgical strike or hitting terror camps -- you have not shown the lack of (courage) on any front. You have done so many things to make the country proud."

Modi called security personnel his family, adding that the "family" includes the family members of soldiers. "One rank, one pension decision is influenced by the concept that soldiers' families are also our families," he said.

Clad in army colours, the Prime Minister, accompanied by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and Northern Army Commander Lieutenant-General Ranbir Singh, greeted the soldiers and served them sweets on the auspicious occasion.