PM Narendra Modi said thousands of Indians died fighting for others during the World Wars.
Highlights
- PM Modi said India has never been hungry for land
- 1.5 lakh Indians became martyrs in 2 world wars fighting for others: PM
- He inaugurated Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra for Indian-orgin community abroad
Amid growing concerns that hostilities between India and Pakistan could escalate after the surgical strikes that followed the terror attack in Kashmir's Uri, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India has never attacked any other country nor "coveted" anyone's territory.
"This country has never been hungry for land. We have never attacked any other country," the Prime Minister said, speaking out for the first time in the aftermath of the army's surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control.
After inaugurating the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, a facility dedicated to the Indian community abroad, on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, PM Modi said India has also fought for others.
"We are a nation that has laid down lives for others. During the two World Wars, more than 1.5 lakh Indians became martyrs. Unfortunately, we have not been very effective in telling this to the world," PM Modi told the audience.
PM Modi's words come amid the comments from the international community that India and Pakistan defuse the tension through dialogue.
Pakistan -- which denied that surgical strikes took place, calling it 'cross-border" firing instead - has banned low-level flying over its airspace.
Civilian aircraft that uses Pakistani airspace to fly to the US, Europe and the Gulf would now have to fly above 33,000 feet above Karachi, and above 29,000 feet above Lahore. Reports suggest that lower levels of airspace have been reserved for their fighter jets.
Responding to a query on doubts raised by Pakistan regarding the operation as India is yet to release the video footage, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said, "Just wait and watch".