President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said that though the nation was firmly committed to peace, it must be prepared to use its might to safeguard the sovereignty should the need arise. He also underlined the need for India to have “effective deterrence and strong defence” to preserve peace and harmony and promote all-round development.
Presenting the President’s Standard to 115 Helicopter Unit and 26 Squadron in a parade at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Sonitpur district, Mr. Mukherjee said: “While the nation develops in all realms, the subcontinent faces varied threats, especially from non-state actors.”
He said: “Besides its role of safeguarding the sovereignty of our nation, the Indian Air Force has always been a harbinger of humanitarian aid within our boundaries. The relief operations rendered in the disaster-hit regions, often in the face of adverse weather and tragedy bear testimony to the fortitude, professionalism and determination of the men and women in blue.”
Later, addressing the first convocation of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Arunachal Pradesh, at Yupia, 18 km from Itanagar, Mr. Mukherjee said the cooperation between the NITs in the north-eastern States and a consortium of institutions in Singapore as suggested at the recent NIT Directors’ conference could provide a fillip to India’s Look East Policy.
“Turning NITs into world-class engineering institutes calls for developing multiple linkages. NITs have to actively engage with other institutes for research collaboration and sharing of best practices. They have to be more proactive in their interaction with the industry,” he said.
