Garhwal Post Bureau
Shillong, 29 May: Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd) today attended the Passing Out Parade of the 7th batch of Agniveers of the Assam Regiment as the Chief Guest at the Assam Regimental Centre, here.
Addressing the newly trained Agniveers on the occasion, the Governor inspired them towards national service, discipline, dedication, and military values, while extending his best wishes for their bright military careers.
The Governor stated that today is not merely a formal military achievement, but the beginning of a new chapter of national service. He said that the Agniveers of the 7th batch of the Assam Regiment have proved through their training, discipline, and determination that India’s borders are in safe hands.
Addressing the Agniveers, he said that they no longer possess any regional or personal identity; rather, their sole identity is that of an “Indian Soldier,” with only one religion — “Rashtra Dharma” (national duty) — and one caste — “Indian”.
Recalling his emotional connect with the Assam Regiment, the Governor said that he himself served as a soldier of this glorious regiment and that being present here felt like a “homecoming” to his mother regiment. He stated that the Assam Regiment not only trained him as a soldier but also shaped his personality through strict discipline, rich traditions, and the values of national service.
He said that the history of the Assam Regiment stands as a symbol of unparalleled bravery, sacrifice, and patriotism. Whenever the nation faced a crisis, the brave soldiers of this regiment displayed extraordinary courage and valor to defeat enemy designs. The Governor called upon the Agniveers to carry forward this glorious legacy and always place national interest above all else.
The Governor further said that today’s military landscape is rapidly changing and future wars will not be won solely through conventional weapons, but through technological superiority and strategic capability. He urged the Agniveers to become proficient in cyber security, drone technology, artificial intelligence, and modern military systems.
He said that, in the coming times, the most effective armed forces will be those that establish the best coordination between technological capability and human efficiency.
The Governor remarked that, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, India’s armed forces have undergone rapid modernisation and self-reliance in the defence sector has gained new strength. Indigenous military systems symbolise India’s growing strategic power and confidence.
He said that Agniveers are India’s modern, confident, and technology-enabled “new age warriors”, in whose hands the nation’s future remains secure.
On this occasion, the Governor also paid tribute to the parents and guardians of the Agniveers, stating that they are truly blessed for dedicating their sons to the service of the nation. He added that such families are the true strength of the country.
