New Delhi

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday in her address to the nation on the eve of the country's 79th Independence Day praised the armed forces for their relentless efforts in guarding the nation during Operation Sindoor, which was launched in retaliation for the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack.

Labelling the gruesome killing of innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam as "cowardly and inhuman", President Murmu said that India's response in the form of Operation Sindoor will go down in history as an example of humanity's fight against terrorism.

"This year, we had to face the scourge of terrorism. Killing innocent citizens on holiday in Kashmir was cowardly and utterly inhuman. India responded in a decisive manner and with steely resolve. Operation Sindoor showed that our armed forces are prepared to meet any eventuality when it comes to guarding the nation. With strategic clarity and technical capability, they destroyed terrorist hubs across the border. I believe, Operation Sindoor will go down in history as an example in humanity's fight against terrorism," President Murmu said in her virtual address to the nation.

The President praised the efforts of the multi-party delegations consisting of MPs across party lines after Operation Sindoor. The world came to realise that India will not hesitate to retaliate in defence of its citizens, she said.

"In our response, what was most noticeable was our unity, which is also the most befitting response to those who wanted to divide us. Our unity was also on display in the multi-party delegations of the Members of Parliament that reached out to various nations to explain India's position. The world has taken note of India's stance, that we will not be the aggressor, but we will not hesitate to retaliate in defence of our citizens," President Murmu asserted.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. The Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists.

Nari Shakti

President Droupadi Murmu ay lauded the achievements of Indian women across fields, from defence to sports, citing the success of a 19-year-old and a 38-year-old finalist in the FIDE Women's World Cup as proof of excellence across generations.

Recently, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh conquered the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025, beating her counterpart Koneru Humpy. Divya became just the fourth Indian woman grandmaster and overall the 88th in the nation to clinch that title.

"Our daughters are our pride. They are breaching barriers in every field, including in the areas of defence and security. Sports are among the important indicators of excellence, empowerment and potential. A nineteen-year-old girl and a thirty-eight-year-old woman from India were the finalists in the FIDE Women's World Chess Championship. This underlines the sustained and globally comparable excellence across generations among our women," she said.

President Murmu said the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' has turned women's empowerment from a slogan into a reality, with the gender gap in employment steadily narrowing.

"The gender gap in employment has also been reducing. With 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', the empowerment of women is no longer a slogan but a reality," she emphasised.

Use Indian Products

In her address, the President called on citizens to "buy and use Indian-made products" to strengthen the spirit of the Swadeshi Movement.

She said, "The idea of Swadeshi has been inspiring our national endeavours like Make-in-India initiative and Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Let us resolve to buy and use Indian products."

Murmu emphasised that this would not only honour the legacy of the Swadeshi Movement but also empower millions of artisans across the country.

Gr Captain Shubganshu Shukla's feat

She  also lauded the success of Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's "space journey" to the International Space Station, saying it will prove to be helpful towards India's upcoming human space flight program, 'Gaganyaan'.

Shukla's space journey has "fired a whole generation to dream bigger," President Murmu said in the traditional address of the nation by the President on the eve of the 79th Independence Day.

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Fueled by young minds, the country's space program has witnessed unprecedented expansion, she said.