Galwan sent message that today’s India not the India of 1962: MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt

Bhatt made the remark while presiding over the celebrations to mark the 64th Raising Day of the Border Road Organisation (BRO) at the BRO Centre and School in Pune.

• By: Express News Service
• Pune | Updated: May 8, 2023 08:01 AM IST
2 min read

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt Sunday said the Galwan incident sent a message to the international community that “today’s India is not the India of 1962.” Bhatt made the remark while presiding over the celebrations to mark the 64th Raising Day of the Border Road Organisation (BRO) at the BRO Centre and School in Pune. He also chaired the concluding session of the three-day ‘Chief Engineers and Equipment Management Conference’ of the BRO.

Addressing the gathering, Bhatt said: “Our county has exemplary political and also military leadership for the three services. Our service chiefs constantly inspire the troops, which motivates the soldiers to fight against all odds and extreme risks… It was because of the exemplary political will that the Galwan incident sent a message to the international community that today’s India is not the India of 1962. If you even look at us with adversarial intent, we will give a befitting reply.”

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The event was held at the BRO Centre and School in Pune (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

The Union minister was referring to the aggressive face-offs between Indian and Chinese forces that started with an incident near the Galwan River Valley in 2020. While the 1962 reference was to the Sino-Indian War.

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Citing the example of roads being built along the Line of Actual Control, Bhatt said: “Amidst various threats from the adversary and facing extreme weather conditions, the road construction is currently on near the Line of Actual Control. The soldiers of the Army, BRO, and also the workers on these projects are undertaking the work with exemplary bravery.”

During the ceremony, the minister virtually inaugurated various completed projects of the BRO in forward areas.