Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's twelve-year tenure with transforming India's national security posture, citing decisive military operations and rapid strides in defence self-reliance as proof of a fundamentally stronger nation.

Context

Posting under the hashtag #12YearsOfSurakshitBharat ('12 Years of a Secure India'), CM Dhami wrote that under PM Modi's leadership India now advances with a 'zero tolerance policy toward terrorism' and sends the world a clear message that 'no compromise will be made on national security.' The post marks the completion of twelve years of the BJP-led government at the Centre, which took office in May 2014.

Dhami specifically named three operations as emblematic of the new security doctrine: the 2016 Surgical Strike across the Line of Control, the 2019 Balakot Air Strike, and Operation Sindoor — describing them collectively as demonstrations of 'the strength, firm resolve and determination of a new India.'

Policy Backdrop

The 2016 Surgical Strike, conducted by the Indian Army in response to the Uri attack, marked a documented shift from India's traditionally restrained approach to cross-border terrorism. The 2019 Balakot Air Strike by the Indian Air Force — targeting a Jaish-e-Mohammed facility in Pakistan following the Pulwama attack — further institutionalised proactive counter-terror responses under the same administration.

On the production side, the government launched the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in 2020, which set ambitious targets for indigenous defence manufacturing and reduced import dependence. Progressive negative import lists for defence items have since been notified, pushing domestic industry to fill gaps previously met through foreign procurement. CM Dhami noted that India is today exporting various defence equipment — a reversal from its historical position as one of the world's largest arms importers.

The post also drew a pointed contrast with the Congress era, asserting that terrorist incidents during that period were met only with 'concern and rhetoric,' whereas today's India 'retaliates and makes the world feel its strength.'

Stakeholders and Impact

The beneficiaries of the policy shift span India's armed forces, domestic defence manufacturers, and communities living along the northern and western borders. Accelerated border infrastructure — roads, tunnels, and forward logistics — has improved both military mobility and civilian connectivity in states like Uttarakhand, which shares a sensitive boundary with China and lies close to the Line of Control with Pakistan.

For the domestic defence industry, the indigenisation push has opened new revenue streams and export opportunities, with India now supplying equipment to partner nations — a development Dhami called evidence of how rapidly the country has 'empowered itself in military security and defence self-reliance.'

What's Next

Parliamentary deliberations on the next defence budget and ongoing trials of indigenously developed platforms will be closely watched as indicators of how far the self-reliance agenda has progressed. Upcoming editions of Aero India and DefExpo are expected to showcase new export contracts and platform demonstrations. Politically, the #12YearsOfSurakshitBharat messaging signals that BJP leaders intend to keep national security at the centre of the party's public narrative heading into future electoral cycles.