Defence Minister Rajnath Singh virtually opened the Galwan War Memorial on Sunday and paid heartfelt respect to the 20 Indian soldiers who gave their lives in the Galwan Valley clash. He said during the ceremony at the Leh Army Base, "The bravery of our soldiers is an inspiration for all of us", as he remembered their courage with deep appreciation.

Major General Arindam Saha, GOC, 3rd Infantry Division, spoke about the meaning of the memorial and said, "This Galwan War Memorial, built at an altitude of 14,500 feet, is the highest memorial of its kind and stands as a powerful symbol of national gratitude", stressing the pride it brings to the nation.

He also said, "This is a solemn tribute to our 20 brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during the Galwan Valley clash on June 15, 2020. On the last Army Day, the Defence Minister had announced the construction of this memorial. Building such a structure at 14,500 feet is no ordinary task, but the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) completed it within a limited timeframe", as he acknowledged the effort made to honour them.

Major General Saha said that the memorial reflects Indias steady commitment to remembering its fallen heroes and added, "This is also a message to the world that India remembers and respects its martyrs", showing how deeply the country values their sacrifice.

The inauguration was part of 125 BRO projects launched by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday. These include 28 roads, 93 bridges and 4 strategic works across seven states, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal, Mizoram, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

In his address, the Defence Minister said, "Today our soldiers stand strong in difficult terrains because they have access to roads, real-time communication systems, satellite support, surveillance networks, and logistics connectivity. Every minute, every second of a soldier deployed on the border is extremely important. Therefore, connectivity should not be viewed merely as networks, optical fibre, drones, and radar, but as the backbone of national security", as he explained how these resources support the forces.