Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, addressed the first batch of Agniveers of the three Services who have commenced their basic training, via video conferencing.

The prime minister congratulated the Agniveers on being the pioneers of the path-breaking Agnipath Scheme. He said this transformative policy will be a game changer in strengthening the Armed Forces and making them future ready for the challenges ahead.

Modi affirmed that the young Agniveers will make the armed forces more youthful and tech savvy.

Hailing the potential of Agniveers, he said their spirit is reflective of the bravery of the armed forces which have always kept the flag of the nation flying high. The experience they will acquire through this opportunity will be a source of pride for life.

The prime minister said that New India is filled with renewed vigour, and efforts are underway to modernise the armed forces besides making them Aatmanirbhar. He said in the 21st century, the way wars are fought is changing.

Discussing the new fronts of contactless warfare and challenges of cyber warfare, he said technologically-advanced soldiers will play a key role in the armed forces. The current generation of youths has this potential, and so the Agniveers will play a leading role in the armed forces in the times to come.

Modi spoke about how the scheme will further empower women. He expressed happiness at how women Agniveers are adding pride to the Naval forces, and said that he looks forward to seeing women Agniveers in all three forces. The prime minister recalled how women are leading armed forces on various fronts, citing examples of women soldiers posted in Siachen and women driving modern fighter planes.

Modi said that getting posted in different regions will give them an opportunity to get diverse experiences and that they should try to learn different languages and also about different cultures and ways of living. He said that teamwork and honing of leadership skills will add a new dimension to their personality.

He exhorted the Agniveers to remain curious about learning new things while simultaneously working on bettering their skills in the fields of their choice. Hailing the potential of youth and Agniveers, he said that they are the ones who are going to provide leadership to the nation in the 21st century.