Remembering Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, who lost his life in a recent chopper crash in Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stressed that efforts to make the country's armed forces self-reliant, campaign to strengthen coordination between the three armed forces will continue, adding that the late General Rawat will see India marching ahead with new resolutions in days to come.
Addressing the launch event of the Saryu Nahar National Project in Balrampur, PM Modi paid homage to India's first Chief of Defence Staff and said that his demise is a great loss for every Indian, for every patriot.
"The whole country has been a witness to the hard work that General Bipin Rawat ji was doing to make the country's forces self-reliant. Though India is in sorrow but even after suffering the pain, we neither stop our pace nor progress. India will not stop. Efforts to make the country's armed forces self-reliant, campaign to strengthen coordination between the three armies, will continue. Wherever he is, General Bipin Rawat, in the days to come, will see his India moving forward with new resolutions," said the Prime Minister.
He further said that the work of improving the security of the country's borders, work to strengthen border infrastructure will continue.
PM Modi said that the doctors are working hard to save the life of Group Captain Varun Singh who is a son of Uttar Pradesh, a resident of Deoria.
"I pray to Maa Pateshwari to save his life. The nation is with the family of Varun Singh ji today and with the families of the heroes we have lost", the Prime Minister added.
General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 other defence personnel were killed when a Mi17V5 helicopter carrying them crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday last week.
Other 10 defence forces personnel who died in the chopper crash are Staff Officer Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Junior Warrant Officer Rana Pratap Das, Junior Warrant Officer Arakkal Pradeep, Havildar Satpal Rai, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar and Lance Naik B Sai Teja.
Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor in the crash, has been shifted to Air Force Command hospital at Bengaluru for further treatment.
( With inputs from ANI )
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