PRIME MINISTER MODIS VISIT TO IPKF MEMORIAL IN SHRILANKA

It is such a nice feeling that some Prime Minister of ours has finally gone there to honour our soldiers at war memorial at Sri Lanka after the ops ended decades ago. I also feel so happy to read that the Sri Lankan army's memorial is also co-located around there only. 2. If only we could have our own memorial at Country level here at Delhi somewhere though the Army has been fighting for it for quite some time now, would have been so good. 3. In Army almost all Units have constructed their own WAR MEMORIALS BUT NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL IS REQUIRED Modi Pays Homage to IPKF Soldiers in Pouring Rain, Refuses Umbrella 🇮🇳 COLOMBO: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to the fallen soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) here on Friday refusing to use an umbrella to protect himself from an inecessant drizzle. The Prime Minister, dressed approriately in an ochre coloured kurta and a light brown jacket, solemnly stood at attention in front of a statue of an Indian soldier for much more than two minutes as the Last Post, sounded by Sri Lankan army buglers, was unusually long. Modi arrived escorted by colourfully attired motorcycle outriders of the Lankan military police.A posse of 66 army prrsonnel presented a guard of honour as the PM was received by the Army chief Lt.Gen.Chrishantha de Silva, Navy Chief Vice Adm.Jayantha Perera and Air Force chief Air Marshal Kolitha Gunatillake. He laid a wreath at the base of the tall column on which was inscribed the names of all the 1500 Indian soldiers who were killed in the operations against the LTTE between 1987 and 1990. He circumambulated the monument and went down to the shamiana to pen his comments in the Visitors' Book. Modi wrote: " I am honoured to pay my respects to the valient soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force who made the supreme sacrifice in the line duty for the unity and integrity of Sri Lanka.May their service and sacrifice be foreever remembered through this memorial which is an emotional manifestation of the bonds of friendship between India and Sri Lanka." The homage was in English but Modi signed in Hindi. The monument is maintained by the Sri Lankan government and is adjacent to the Sri Lankan monument for its own dead soldiers.The IPKF was deployed in Sri Lanka to enforce the India-Lanka Accord of July 1987.