Pune: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday credited National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval with playing a pivotal role in transforming India’s defence capabilities over the past 12 years, saying the country’s armed forces have undergone a major shift in both defensive and offensive strength.
Addressing a programme after presenting the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 to NSA Doval here, Shah said the NSA has also played a great role in strengthening India’s foreign policy and has had a ‘role and advice’ in the background of every decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for national security.
He said India has embarked on the path of cultural nationalism envisioned by Tilak, and asserted that there would be no reversal from that course.
“In the last 12 years, the Narendra Modi government has transformed our armed forces’ security capabilities as well as their offensive capabilities, and Doval Saheb has made a pivotal contribution to this transformation,” Shah said.
The Union minister said the first selection PM Modi made after assuming office in 2014 was to appoint Ajit Doval as NSA.
He said PM Modi took several major decisions to modernise the armed forces, bring structural transformations, fine-tune the use of technology and valour of Indian armed forces and strengthen their operational capabilities, and Doval played a key advisory role in these initiatives.
“NSA Ajit Doval has played a great role in strengthening India’s foreign policy. In every decision of PM Modi for national security, Doval has had a ‘role and advice’ in the background,” Shah said.
He hailed Doval’s distinguished career in the Intelligence Bureau and national security, crediting him with laying a strong foundation for the Multi-Agency Centre, which today serves as the backbone of the country’s internal security.
Shah said much of Doval’s work can never be fully revealed because of the nature of intelligence operations.
Recalling his association with Doval during his tenure as Gujarat home minister, Shah said then chief minister Narendra Modi introduced him to Doval after serial bomb blasts rocked Gujarat in 2008.
“Based on his inputs, the Gujarat police not only investigated the Gujarat serial blasts but also solved 13 other bomb blast cases across the country. It was a major achievement,” Shah said.
He said that after retiring from government service in 2005, Doval continued to work on strengthening India’s internal and external security as president of the Vivekananda International Foundation.
“Between 2005 and 2014, he deliberated extensively on strengthening the country’s internal and external security. Those ideas remained confined to books until 2014. After Narendra Modi became Prime Minister and appointed him National Security Advisor, those ideas were translated into action,” Shah said.
The Union minister said that when the history of PM Modi’s tenure is written, a “golden chapter” would have to be reserved for Doval’s contribution to India’s national security architecture.
Hailing Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s seminal work “Gita Rahasya”, Shah urged the youth to read the Bhagavad Gita through Tilak’s perspective. “If the youth of the country read the Gita through the perspective of Tilak Maharaj, they will never commit mistakes in life,” Shah said.
He also exhorted the younger generation to read Tilak’s work, saying, “Tilak Maharaj’s writings will never go out of fashion. They are eternal and will continue to guide the nation.”
The Union minister said Tilak’s immortal slogan “Swarajya is my birthright, and I shall have it” gave a new direction to India’s freedom struggle and inspired generations of freedom fighters.
Shah said the slogan made people realise that self-rule was their right and not a favour from anyone.
He said Tilak’s life and teachings continue to inspire the country’s youth and remain relevant in nation-building.
“Tilak united people and connected them with the freedom movement through the public Ganesh festival. India is now moving firmly on the path of cultural nationalism laid down by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and no one can reverse that journey,” Shah added.
Describing Tilak as one of the foremost architects of India’s freedom movement, Shah said his ideas on nationalism, self-rule and social awakening continue to guide the nation.
Addressing the event, Doval said he was thankful for the award named after Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and was accepting it with humility.
He called upon the country’s youth to dedicate themselves fully to national interest and rise above personal gains, urging them to make the most of the “window of opportunity” before India to build a stronger nation. He also said that today’s youth may feel that freedom means doing whatever they want, but that is not the case.
