Drass/UNI: On Kargil Vijay Diwas, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the Indian Army can cross the Line of Control (LoC) for the honour of the country.

Addressing soldiers after laying a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass and paying tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Kargil War, the Defence Minister on Wednesday said the Indian Army can cross the LoC to safeguard and honour the country.

"At the time of the Kargil War, if we did not cross the LoC, it did not mean that we could not cross the LoC. We can cross the LoC and will cross the LoC in the future if need be," he added.

"As long as you (soldiers) are protecting us on the borders, no one can even have the courage to raise their eyes towards India," the Defence Minister said.

Singh arrived in Drass, in the Kargil district of Ladakh, on Wednesday for the 24th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. The day is marked every year to pay homage to the fallen soldiers of the Kargil War.

"I salute those brave sons, who sacrificed everything for the protection of the motherland. I salute those brave sons who put the nation first and did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for it," the Defence Minister said while paying homage at the Kargil War memorial.

"Not only in Kargil, but many times since independence till today, your bravery has made the nation proud from time to time," Singh said.

"I want to assure the families and well-wishers of all the brave soldiers who were martyred in the Kargil war that we will never let their sacrifice or their memory fade away. The National War Memorial is a symbol of our commitment", the Defence Minister added.

He said, On this day in 1999, even after winning the war, our forces did not cross the LoC. It is because we are peace-loving, we believe in Indian values, and we have a commitment to international laws."

"Today, on Kargil Vijay Diwas, I would like to say one thing to our countrymen: the honour and dignity of the nation are above everything for us, and for this we can go to any extent," he said.

The Defence Minister said, "In recent times, the way the wars are getting prolonged, in the coming times, the public should be ready to participate in the war not only indirectly, but also directly."

"I believe that the public has to be mentally prepared for the fact that whenever the nation needs them, they should be ready to help the army", he said, adding "that's why I want to say this to the people of the country, that just as every soldier is an Indian, in the same way every Indian should always be ready to play the role of a soldier".