December 7 (ANI): Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday inaugurated the “Galwan War Memorial”, paying tribute to the 20 Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Galwan Valley clash. “The bravery of our soldiers is an inspiration for all of us,” he said during the ceremony held at the Leh Army base.
Highlighting the importance of the memorial, Major General Arindam Saha, GOC, 3rd Infantry Division, said, “Built at an altitude of 14,500 feet, the Galwan War Memorial is the highest memorial of its kind and a powerful symbol of national gratitude.”
He further said, “This is a tribute to our 20 brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during the Galwan Valley clash on June 15, 2020. On the last Army Day, the Defense Minister had announced the construction of this memorial. Construction of such a structure at an altitude of 14,500 feet is no ordinary task, but the Border Roads Organization (BRO) completed it within the limited time frame.”
Major General Saha stressed that this memorial reflects India’s unwavering commitment to honor its heroes. “It is also a message to the world that India remembers and respects its martyrs,” he said.
The inauguration was part of 125 BRO projects unveiled by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday. These include 28 roads, 93 bridges and 4 strategic projects in seven states – Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal, Mizoram, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
In his address, the Defense Minister said, “Today our soldiers stand strong in difficult terrain because they have access to roads, real-time communication systems, satellite support, surveillance networks and logistics connectivity. Every minute, every second of a soldier deployed at the border is extremely important. Therefore, connectivity should not be seen only as networks, optical fibre, drones and radars, but as the backbone of national security.”