Army Day 2021: A look at some important dates in the history of the Indian Army.
Key sentence:
- On Friday, India is celebrating its 73rd Army Day. At the event, General Bipin Rawat, and General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) expressed their pleasant wishes to all military personnel.
On Friday, India is celebrating its 73rd Army Day. At the event, General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) expressed their pleasant wishes to all military personnel and also paid tribute to soldiers who gave their lives in the line of duty.
India celebrates on different dates its military victories and founding days of its armies. Here’s a list of some days of this kind:
1. Army Day (Jan15): This day commemorates the takeover of General (later Field Marshal) KM Cariappa by General Francis Butcher in 1949 as the first Commander-in-Chief the Indian Army. The march on Army Day occurs at Delhi’s Cariappa Parade Ground. Gallantry awards are mostly issued on the day.
2. Coast Guard Day (February 1): On an “interim” basis, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was formed on February 1, 1977. On August 18, 1978, the force officially came into being. It has the mission of securing the maritime interests of India and upholding maritime law.
3. Kargil Vijay Diwas (July 26): The Indian Army reclaimed all of its outposts seized over by Pakistani invaders on this day in 1999. It started in May of that year, the fourth among four wars among the two neighbours, as well as ended with a decisive Indian victory.
4. Air Force Day (October 8): On October 8, 1932, the Indian Air Force (IAF) was formed as an allied air force of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Indian side kept the title of the Royal Indian Air Force just after the partition of India into India and Pakistan (RIAF). In 1950, the prefix “Royal” was dropped as well as the force was renamed as the new IAF.
5. Navy Day (December 4): The day commemorates the bold attack by the Indian Navy during the 1971 conflict between the two countries on its Pakistani counterpart. The attack, dubbed Operation Trident, saw the Navy sink several Pakistani vessels and destroy dozens of staff from the Pakistan Navy.
6. Day of the Armed Forces Flag (December 7): Celebrated yearly since 1949 on this date, the day is devoted to allocating funds from India’s citizens for the protection of Indian Armed Forces personnel.
7. Vijay Diwas (December 16): During this day in 1971, in much less than two weeks, the India-Pakistan Conflict concluded with over 93,000 Pakistan Army soldiers surrendering to India. Bangladesh, an independent state, was created.
