 For your tomorrow, they gave that today. These are the true sons of India. Patriots and Sadhas who sacrificed themselves so that all Indians may sleep in peace. The ability of the three arms of the Indian military to come together and perform as a single entity is the result of discipline training. Thus is prepared a hardy soldier with a sense of responsibility. He learns discipline. He learns teamwork. These qualities are inculcated in every member of the armed forces. Tried in simulations and tested in battles. These are the very qualities that come to the fore when he extends a helping hand to his fellow citizens. The moment a soldier, sailor or airman, dons his uniform. It is instilled into him that he must provide aid to all fellow countrymen. A peacetime role has been played successfully by our brave soldiers over the past decades as India evolved into a strong democratic republic. By virtue of their organizational strength, motivation, training, discipline and operational preparedness they have always responded with promptness to any critical situation. The men in fatigues have time and again shown great enterprise in disaster relief operations. Be it an earthquake, flood, a drought or a hurricane. The armed forces have battled the forces of nature to successfully handle each situation. On 8th October 2005, a massive earthquake rocked Jammu and Kashmir causing widespread damage. The Indian army launched a large-scale relief and rescue operation despite the loss of 45 of their own personnel with severe injuries to another 283 and severe damage to its infrastructure. The men in blue have been in the forefront of many challenging peacetime operations. The most important peacetime role of the Indian Air Force is to provide humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, aid to civil power. On 26th December 2004, another disaster shook the nation, a tsunami. The three forces were jointly involved in this enormous effort to reach far-flung and remote areas for providing timely rescue assistance and relief. At the end of the third or fourth day, we had built up a force of about 35-40 ships, 5,000 men and about 20-25 aircraft and helicopters. I am very proud of the fact that we were able to render assistance to a vast sea of humanity in the face of a very grave catastrophe. The Indian Navy has time and again established its credence as a force par excellence. The Indian Navy has always risen to any contingency with its unique blend of speed, professionalism, panache and humane attitude. Operation Sukun is another example of the humanitarian efforts. The largest post-independence civilian evacuation operation undertaken by the Indian Navy at Beirut, Lebanon, braving the perils of the oceans and the hardy life of the seas. The men of the Indian Navy have accomplished many such arduous tasks with unstinting dedication and valor. The Kosi has always been called the River of Sorrow because of the flooding it causes every year. But in 2008, the river has caused a catastrophe unparalleled in 50 years. It was the men of the three wings of the armed forces, along with the NGOs and civil administration, which emerged as the true saviours. Hundreds of defence personnel joined the administration in relief and rescue operations, evacuating millions of maroon people and providing food and medical aid to those displaced by the waters of the Kosi. They have proved beyond doubt their integrity and loyalty to the nation and its people. They emulate the words of our pledge.