New Delhi

Extending his greetings on the 11th International Day of Yoga, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Saturday said that the world has recognised the scientific importance of yoga.

"I extend my greetings on International Yoga Day. Today, Yoga has become the everyday routine of people worldwide," Birla told reporters after participating in a yoga session held at the Parliament House.

"Yoga is the heritage of India, and the world has also recognised its scientific importance," he added.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations in Udhampur of Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh met the army personnel in Udhampur and praised their efforts in Operation Sindoor.

"Your bravery is widely admired across the nation. I salute the valour and courage of the Indian Army," Rajnath Singh said while addressing the event.

"The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam was not merely an isolated incident from across the border, but a direct attempt to target India's social and communal harmony. We not only foiled their nefarious plans but also delivered such a powerful response that Pakistan was forced to kneel, leading us to announce a temporary halt to Operation Sindoor. As we have stated earlier, Operation Sindoor is not yet over," said the Union minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged the international community to embrace "inner peace" as a "global policy' and make yoga a collective global responsibility.

Speaking at the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations in Visakhapatnam, the Prime Minister called upon countries to adopt yoga not just as a personal or cultural practice, but as a unifying force for humanity.

"I would like to take this opportunity to urge the global community on this important occasion to let this International Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for Humanity. Let this be the day when inner peace becomes a global policy, where yoga is embraced not just as a personal practice, but as a powerful tool for global partnership and unity. Let every country and every society make yoga a shared responsibility, a common contribution toward collective well-being," the Prime Minister said.

The event was held along the scenic Visakhapatnam coastline, with Indian Navy ships stationed near the shore, adding to the grandeur of the celebration.

PM Modi was joined by lakhs of yoga enthusiasts, residents, and dignitaries from Andhra Pradesh.

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Calling for a global mass movement through yoga, PM Modi said, "Come, let us all together make Yoga a mass movement. A movement that takes the world towards peace, health and harmony. Where every person starts the day with yoga and finds balance in life. Where every society is connected to yoga and free from stress. Yoga becomes the medium that binds humanity together. And where Yoga For One Earth, One Health becomes a global resolution."