Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday unveiled the National War at the central obelisk in the war memorial complex, near the India Gate.

The memorial has been built in the memory of the martyred jawans who lost their lives protecting the nation during Indo-China War in 1962, Indo-Pak Wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971, Indian Peace Keeping Force Operations in Srilanka and the Kargil Conflict in 1999.

Spread over a vast expanse of 40 acres at the India Gate complex, the National War Memorial opening comes at a time when the country is mourning the loss of its 40 CRPF jawans at Pulwama terror attack.

Speaking at the inauguration with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman by his side, PM Modi said, "For seven decades since Independence, the country didn't have a memorial for our fallen heroes. In the last decade there were one or two attempts but nothing concrete could happen, with the help of your blessing we started the process in 2014."

After the inaugural address at the National Stadium, PM Modi walked to the National War Memorial at the India Gate complex along with Sitharaman and inaugurated the monument.