India needs strong leadership, Modi tells Lata Mangeshkar's fans in Mumbai

Calling for formulating effective programmes and policies for indigenous production of weaponry for armed forces, he said there was no reason why the country could not become self-reliant in defence production and even export arms over the next decade.

"Our ancestors exported swords when battles were fought with swords, why can't we do so now? India cannot wait for it to be attacked to be self-reliant," he said and underlined the need for introducing defence production research as part of curriculum at science institutes.

He lauded the erstwhile NDA government of Atal Behari Vajpayee for the Pokhran II nuclear bomb test and for introducing the practice of bringing back the bodies of martyred soldiers to their homes.

"There was a time when only the uniforms of soldiers used to reach their homes as sign of their martyrdom. Vajpayee introduced the practice of sending their bodies home. Today, in his death, the fallen soldier inspires patriotism as his community, village and the entire state assembles to pay him homage," he said.

Earlier, Modi felicitated Lata Mangeshkar, on the 51st anniversary of the moving song 'Aye mere watan ke logon'. The song she first sang in 1963 after the Sino-India war, had moved Jawaharlal Nehru to tears.