Siliguri: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday highlighted the significance of the nation's Northeast saying that the region is India's "first frontier" rather than its "last".
The defence minister highlighted the region's geographical, cultural and civilisational significance while underlining its contribution to the country's identity.
Singh's remarks came during his interaction with troops at Sukna Military Station in Darjeeling, where he joined them for the 'Bada Khana' as part of the Diwali celebrations.
Addressing troops, Singh said the Northeast holds immense importance for India because of its natural beauty, rich biodiversity, cultural diversity and unique traditions.
"I do not view the Northeast as the last frontier of India, but rather as the first frontier of the nation...when we consider India’s geography, culture, and civilisation, the contribution of the North East is immensely significant. With its natural beauty, rich biodiversity, cultural diversity, and unique traditions, this region adds a distinct dimension to India’s identity," he said.
The defence minister also highlighted the strategic importance of Sukna, describing it as a vital link in the security architecture of Eastern India and emphasising the need for troops deployed in the region to maintain constant operational readiness.
"Sukna is generally perceived merely as a military station. However, I believe it serves as a vital link in the security architecture of Eastern India. The region where you are deployed is geographically highly sensitive. You are required to maintain operational readiness at all times," Singh said.
Singh also said the security landscape had become increasingly complex, with warfare extending beyond conventional cross-border firing to include cyberattacks, drone swarms, proxy wars and information operations.
“Warfare is no longer limited merely to cross-border firing. It has expanded greatly to encompass asymmetric warfare, proxy wars, cyberattacks, drone swarms, information operations, and narrative management,” he said.
The defence minister said, “Today, the enemy often avoids direct conflict and instead tries to exploit our vulnerabilities."
Through social media, the enemy also attempts to sow seeds of doubt among local populations and soldiers by spreading misleading information, Singh said.
Emphasising the changing responsibilities of armed forces personnel, he said soldiers must remain vigilant not only in their operational domains but also against emerging cyber and information threats.
“In such a scenario, your role is no longer that of an ordinary soldier. You are required to simultaneously maintain domain awareness, cyber resilience, and information integrity," he said.
(With inputs from ANI & PTI)