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A new chapter in the history of Indian democracy will be written on June 10, 2025. On that day, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will become the longest-serving Prime Minister elected through a constitutional electoral process. Surpassing the record of 4,398 days held by the country’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, he will complete 4,399 days of service to the nation. This combined tenure of 25 years—amounting to 9,007 days of uninterrupted public service spanning his roles as both Chief Minister and Prime Minister—can only be the journey of a tireless and indefatigable ‘Karmayogi’.
While his 12-year tenure will undoubtedly be remembered for numerous milestones in development, his contribution to national security is equally unparalleled.
Embodying the principle of ‘Nation First’, he adopted a policy of zero tolerance toward terrorism. On June 13, 2014—just weeks after assuming office—he conducted an in-depth review of defense preparedness with senior military officials at the Defense War Room in South Block, sending a clear message that security was his top priority. When the rest of the nation illuminates its homes with lamps during Diwali, the Prime Minister spends time among the soldiers deployed at the borders, instilling a deep sense of solidarity. Over the course of 12 years, he has repeatedly demonstrated this commitment by visiting 12 different border locations, beginning with Siachen.
Acharya Chanakya famously said, “A nation cannot remain secure without a strong army.” To overcome the despondency following the defeat in the 1962 war with China and China’s nuclear test in 1964, the Jan Sangh demanded at its Patna session on December 4, 1964, that India become a nuclear-armed nation. At the time, all other political parties, including the Congress, ridiculed this demand. However, that resolve was realized on May 11, 1998, with the Pokhran-II nuclear tests conducted under Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Shri Modi has carried this legacy forward. The defense budget, which stood at Rs. 2.27 lakh crore in 2014, has now risen to Rs. 7.85 lakh crore—a nearly threefold increase. Furthermore, India now exports defense products to over 100 countries; defense exports have surged from Rs. 686 crore to Rs. 38,424 crore—a staggering 56-fold increase. Today, the nation manufactures hypersonic missiles, the BrahMos cruise missile, ballistic missiles, the Rudram-2, Pralay, and Akash air defense missiles. The military is also equipped with the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, Rafale fighter jets, and the S-400 air defense system. Strikingly, Armenia showcased the Indian-made Akash missile and Pinaka rocket launcher at Yerevan’s Republic Square—a sight that fills every Indian with pride.
On August 15, 2025, the Prime Minister declared from the Red Fort, “Indigenous capabilities and ‘Make in India’ weapons have proven that national security cannot rest on foreign dependence.” ‘Operation Sindoor’—where key terror infrastructure targets were neutralized in just 23 minutes—stands as a testament to the success of this decisive policy. Looking ahead, the Rs. 72,000 crore Great Nicobar project will serve as the cornerstone of India’s maritime strategy and security.
Prior to 2014, Pakistan-sponsored terrorism was at its peak. It was not just Kashmir—major urban centers like Mumbai, Jaipur, Delhi, and Kashi were all deeply vulnerable. The memory of those attacks remains profoundly unsettling. However, this government fundamentally transformed India’s security response. Security forces were equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry and modern bulletproof vests, while strict curbs were imposed on terror financing through global initiatives like the ‘No Money for Terror’ conference and rigorous adherence to FATF standards.
Surgical strikes and the Balakot air strike decisively dismantled cross-border terror networks, and Operation Sindoor permanently crippled terror hubs based in Pakistan, shattering its security apparatus. Concurrently, the historic decision to abrogate Article 370 made the nation’s territorial unity unbreakable.
Not only the country but the entire world will remember this historic day when we declared that, by March 31, 2026, we would be free from Left-Wing Extremism (Naxalism). In 2024, 126 districts were grappling with the menace of Naxalite terror.
That same year, 290 Naxalites were killed, 1,090 were arrested, and 881 surrendered, resolving to return to India’s mainstream. Now, a wave of development is sweeping across all Naxal-affected areas, including Bastar.
Illegal infiltrators pose a significant threat to the nation’s democratic framework and internal security, while also triggering severe demographic imbalances. In response, the government has taken stringent action under its ‘Detect, Delete, Deport’ policy, alongside a major tightening of border surveillance. To transform the vast 15,106-kilometer-long international border from a passive line into a vigilant barrier, advanced technologies like smart laser walls, underground vibration sensors, and thermal night-vision cameras are being aggressively deployed. Supporting these infrastructure upgrades, the border management budget has been increased by 49%, seeing an enhanced allocation of Rs. 5,597 crore.
Simultaneously, India stands firm on the frontlines of asymmetric, invisible warfare. Malicious anti-India actors are increasingly deploying cyber-attacks to exploit institutional vulnerabilities. According to a comprehensive report submitted to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, India has successfully resolved 5.4 million cyber complaints and thwarted financial fraud attempts amounting to Rs. 31,594 crore.
This response was institutionalized with the establishment of a specialized ‘Cyber Commando’ wing in 2024. Today, coordinated counter-cyber operations are managed smoothly through the Defence Cyber Agency (DCYA) and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). This proactive stance extends directly to the illicit narcotics trade—the primary financial lifeline of cross-border terrorism—where the massive seizure of illegal drugs worth Rs. 25,330 crore in 2024 underscores the success of India’s zero-tolerance security doctrine.
The residents of border villages constitute the nation’s true first line of defense. To ensure they no longer feel isolated or neglected, Prime Minister Shri Modi declared from the Red Fort on August 15, 2023: “These are not the last villages of our borders; they are the first villages of Maa Bharati.” To back this vision with resources, a substantial budget of Rs. 11,639 crore has been allocated to comprehensively develop 4,121 strategic villages across both phases of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP).
This funding facilitates the rapid creation of critical infrastructure, including all-weather roads, localized solar energy grids, high-speed mobile connectivity, modern schools, healthcare centers, and sustainable eco-tourism hubs. This socio-political integration reached a historic high when over 600 border village Sarpanchs (village heads) attended the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort as special guests, forging an unbreakable emotional bond that unites India’s frontiers directly with the heart of New Delhi.
In his pledge of the ‘Panch Pran’, Prime Minister Shri Modi called for liberating India from a colonial mindset. This transformative shift is evident across the nation today: the colonial-era IPC and CrPC have been replaced by the modern Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita; Rajpath has been renamed Kartavya Path; and 7 Race Course Road is now 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. Concurrently, the Prime Minister’s Office and various Raj Bhavans have been reimagined as ‘Seva Tirtha’ and ‘Lok Bhavans.’ This cultural decolonization extends directly to the armed forces. The Indian Navy’s new insignia has cast off symbols of British subjugation, now proudly showcasing an octagonal crest inspired by the royal seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, alongside the Vedic mantra ‘Sham No Varunah’ (शं नो वरुणः) and the National Emblem. Furthermore, during the annual Beating Retreat ceremony, the traditional English tunes was replaced by the stirring Indian composition ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’. Structurally, the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) position has established historic unity and coordination among the three-armed forces. Combined with expanding opportunities for women in combat roles, the growth of Sainik Schools, and the introduction of the ‘Agniveer’ scheme, India is successfully ensuring broad, modern societal participation across its security apparatus.
These historic security-related decisions taken by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will always be remembered. Security is essential for the nation’s sovereignty, economic growth, and peace. It is precisely because of a secure foundation that India is today carving a niche for itself globally, while simultaneously focusing on the welfare of the poor, economic development, and cultural dignity. The goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047—this resolve will be realized only when every citizen understands that a secure India is a strong India.