Raksha Mantri places a wreath at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi on Police Commemoration Day.

Mantri Raksha On October 21, 2025, Shri Rajnath Singh observed Police Commemoration Day by laying a wreath at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi. Ten courageous police officers lost their life in an ambush by heavily armed Chinese troops in Hot Springs, Ladakh, on this day in 1959. Raksha Mantri thanked the police and paramilitary personnel for their service to the country and paid eloquent homage to the dead heroes in his speech. He referred to the police and military as the cornerstones of national security, saying that the latter preserves society and social integrity while the former defends the nation and its geographic integrity.

“The military and police function on different platforms, but their mission is the same – to protect the nation. As we look towards Viksit Bharat by 2047, balancing the external and internal security of the nation is more important than ever,” he said.

On the present-day challenges, Shri Rajnath Singh said while there is instability on the borders, new types of crime, terrorism and ideological wars are emerging within the society. He pointed out that crime has become more organised, invisible, and complex, and its purpose is to create chaos in society, undermine trust, and challenge the stability of the nation.

Raksha Mantri commended the police for carrying out its official responsibility of preventing crime, while fulfilling its moral duty of maintaining trust in society. “If people are sleeping peacefully today, it’s due to their confidence in our vigilant Armed Forces and alert police. This confidence is the foundation of our country’s stability,” he said.

Drawing attention to Naxalism which had been a major internal security challenge for a long time, Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that the concerted and organised efforts of police, CRPF, BSF, and local administration have ensured that the problem did not escalate and the people in the left-wing extremism affected areas breathed a sigh of relief. He exuded confidence that the problem will end by March next year.

“Several top Naxalites have been eliminated this year. Those who previously took up arms against the state are now surrendering and joining the mainstream of development. The number of districts affected by left-wing extremism has come down drastically. Areas that were once Naxalite hubs are now becoming educational hubs. Areas that were once known as the Red Corridor have now transformed into growth corridors. Our police and security forces have contributed significantly to this success,” he said.

Raksha Mantri reiterated Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s commitment towards ensuring national security, and the police forces engaged in this endeavour. “For a long time, we, as a nation, didn’t fully recognise the contributions of the police. However, under the leadership of PM Modi, the government established the National Police Memorial in 2018 to honor the memories of our police forces.

In addition, police have been provided with state-of-the-art weapons and improved facilities. They now have modern equipment such as surveillance systems, drones, forensic labs, and digital policing. Adequate resources are also being provided to the states for the modernisation of the police forces,” he said. Shri Rajnath Singh called for optimal utilisation of resources, which can only be achieved through coordination and integration with security agencies.

Raksha Mantri emphasized that society and the police are equally interconnected and that a healthy relationship between the two is necessary to make the security system even more resilient and watchful. The occasion included a joint procession by the Delhi Police and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). The occasion was attended by Home Secretary Shri Govind Mohan, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Director of the Intelligence Bureau Shri Tapan Deka, DG of the BSF Shri Daljit Singh Chawdhary, other CAPF heads, retired DGs, and members of the police community.