Forces will give befitting reply to attempts of ruining India's peace: PM Modi
New Delhi, Sep 30 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, in a veiled statement, warned Pakistan that Indian soldiers will give a "befitting reply" to those who try to ruin the atmosphere of peace and progress of the country.
Modi's remarks came in his monthly radio programme "Mann Ki Baat", a day after India celebrated "Parakram Parv" to mark the second anniversary of the 2016 surgical strike carried out by the Army's special forces across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir to destroy terror launch pads.
"Now, it has been decided that our soldiers will give befitting reply to all those who will try to ruin the atmosphere of peace and progress of our country," Modi said.
The Prime Minister asserted that India was committed towards world peace but would not sacrifice the country's honour and sovereignty.
"We believe in peace and are determined to encourage it but it cannot be done at the cost of country's pride and sovereignty."
Recalling India's contribution in acts to maintain peace in the world, Modi said: "India has always been committed to peace. Our more than 1 lakh soldiers have sacrificed their lives for peace in two World Wars.
"They made the sacrifice when India had no relation in those wars. Our intention has never been to occupy the lands of other countries. Our only commitment was to maintain peace."
The Prime Minister said that the days like Parakram Parv will always remind our youths about the glorious heritage and valour of our armed forces.
"It also inspires us to ensure our country's unity and integrity."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
NATO, others turn down US call for help in Hormuz: Trump
Washington (PTI): President Donald Trump on Tuesday said NATO and most of US' other allies have rejected his calls to help secure the Strait of Hormuz as the war with Iran entered the third week.
In a social media post, Trump asserted that Iran’s military has been “decimated” and he no longer felt the need for assistance from NATO countries or anyone else.
Last week, Trump had sought help from European nations and others who depend on oil supplies transiting from the Hormuz Strait to safeguard the critical waterway.
“The United States has been informed by most of our NATO “Allies” that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East, this, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon,” the US President said in a post on Truth Social.
Iran's attacks on Gulf nations and its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported, have sparked increasing concerns of a global energy crisis and are unnerving the world economy.
“I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one-way street — We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” Trump said.
He said Australia, Japan and South Korea too have turned down his call for help.
“Fortunately, we have decimated Iran’s Military – Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti-Aircraft and Radar is gone and perhaps, most importantly, their Leaders, at virtually every level, are gone, never to threaten us, our Middle Eastern Allies, or the World, again,” Trump said.
He said that given the scale of recent military successes, the US no longer "need" or desires assistance from NATO countries, adding that it never relied on such support in the first place.
Speaking as President of the United States, the "most powerful" country in the world, "we do not need" help from anyone, Trump said.
The West Asia conflict began on February 28 when the US-Israeli combine conducted airstrikes on Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, has effectively been shut following the US and Israel attack on Iran and Tehran's sweeping retaliation.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said that from Tehran's "perspective", the strait is "open". "It is only closed to Iran's enemies, to those who carried out unjust aggression against our country and to their allies.”
Earlier in the day, a second Indian-flagged LPG tanker, Nanda Devi, reached the country after safely sailing from the war-hit Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, the first ship, Shivalik, reached Mundra port in Gujarat.
As of now, 22 Indian vessels remain on the west side and two on the east side of the strait.
Indian authorities are in constant touch with all the relevant stakeholders in the region to secure the safe passage of the remaining ships, officials said.
