<span style="color: #222222;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, India firmly believes in peace and it is committed to take it forward, but not at the cost of compromising its self-respect and sovereignty. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Sharing his thoughts in the 48th edition of Mann Ki Baat on All India Radio this morning, Mr Modi said, in the two world wars fought in the 20th century, over a lakh of Indian soldiers made the supreme sacrifice that too in a war where India was not involved in any way. He said, India has never eyed someone else's territory maliciously. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister said, last week on the occasion of the centenary of the Battle of Haifa in Israel, the nation remembered and paid tributes to the brave soldiers of Mysore, Hyderabad and Jodhpur Lancers who had freed Haifa from the clutches of oppressors. He said, it too was an act of valour on the part of Indian soldiers on the path to peace.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Modi asserted that even today, India is one of the largest contributors to various United Nations Peace Keeping Forces, and for decades, brave Indian soldiers have played a stellar role in ensuring maintenance of world peace.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister said, every Indian, irrespective of region, caste, religion, sect or language, is ever eager to express joy and show solidarity with the soldiers. He said that yesterday, one hundred and twenty-five crore Indians celebrated the Parakram Parv, the festival of valour. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Modi said, the nation remembered the surgical strike carried out in 2016, when Indian soldiers gave a befitting reply to the audacity of a proxy war under the garb of terrorism. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Speaking about the Air Force Day which will be celebrated on the 8th of next month, the Prime Minister said, the Indian Air Force is one of the mightiest and bravest air force of the 21st century. He mentioned about the role played by the Air Force during 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Modi also said, Swachh Bharat Mission has become a success story not only in India but in the whole world and everyone is talking about this movement. He said, this time India is hosting the biggest Sanitation Convention of the world so far – the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He urged everyone to organise and participate in the 'Run for Unity', on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel on 31st October to strengthen the efforts and bind every section of the society as a unified unit. </span>