Modi to Pakistan: Stop proxy war of terrorism against India

In his maiden visit to Kargil, the site of a bitter India-Pakistan war 15 years ago, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a tough stance against Islamabad’s use of terrorism in its proxy war against New Delhi.

“The neighbouring country has lost the strength to fight a conventional war, but continues to engage in the proxy war of terrorism,” Mr Modi told personnel of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force in Kargil, located in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, August 12.

In his speech, Modi said even though he had raised the issue of cross-border terrorism with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his talks in New Delhi a day after his swearing-in, there was no change in Islamabad’s policy.

The prime minister underlined that Indian armed forces were suffering more casualties from terrorism than from war. Presenting terrorism as a global problem, he stressed that all humanitarian forces of the world should unite to fight it. “India is committed to strengthening and uniting these humanitarian forces.”

Modi’s critical comments about Pakistan’s use of proxy war comes days before India’s Foreign Minister Sujatha Singh heads to Islamabad for talks with her Pakistani counterpart to explore ways to revive the talks with Pakistan, which stalled last year after the killing of some Indian soldiers by Pakistan’s troops along the Line of Control.

Assuring the troops that India was committed to equip the armed forces with modern arms and technology, he added that India will be self-reliant in defence manufacturing.

Modi is the first prime minister to visit Kargil after the 1999 armed conflict between India and Pakistan.

The prime minister also lauded the cooperation between the India’s armed forces and local population of Kargil as he fondly recalled Tashi Namgyal, a local shepherd, who provided the first information about Pakistan’s infiltrators to India’s armed forces in 1999.

“The people of Kargil are very patriotic and it is inspiring for the entire country,” Modi said after inaugurating the 44 MW Chutak power station. “I was here during the Kargil war. People knew I was a BJP worker, yet they never charged me any money. They said this too was a service to the nation.”

“I saw soldiers get help and cooperation from people of Kargil. This kept their spirits high. I still remember the celebrations in Kargil the day Tiger Hill was won,” he said.

Author Profile

India Writes Network: India Writes Network (www.indiawrites.org) is an emerging think tank and a media-publishing company focused on international affairs & the India Story. Centre for Global India Insights is the research arm of India Writes Network. To subscribe to India and the World, write to editor@indiawrites.org. A venture of TGII Media Private Limited, a leading media, publishing and consultancy company, IWN has carved a niche for balanced and exhaustive reporting and analysis of international affairs. Eminent personalities, politicians, diplomats, authors, strategy gurus and news-makers have contributed to India Writes Network, as also “India and the World,” a magazine focused on global affairs.