Defence minister, top military brass pay tribute to fallen soldiers on 'Vijay Diwas'
Dec 16, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 16 : On the occasion of Vijay Diwas, a series of commemorative events were held across India. At the National War Memorial, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande, IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh, and Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar paid their respects to the fallen soldiers. 
MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt also paid tribute to the fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial on the occasion of Vijay Diwas. 
In Jammu and Kashmir's Jammu, Major Gen Gaurav Gautam, GOC TIGER Division, paid respect to the fallen soldiers at the Balidan Stambh. He expressed his deep respect for the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, stating, "I salute the sacrifice of our soldiers."
Meanwhile, Lt Gen RP Kalita, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of Eastern Command, also paid respect to the fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at Vijay Smarak at Eastern Command Army HQ, Kolkata, on the occasion of Vijay Diwas.
Vijay Diwas is celebrated on December 16 to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war.
December 16, 1971, was the day when Pakistan signed the instrument of surrender in Dhaka, following a 13-day India-Pakistan War. With the surrender of over 93,000 soldiers, the Pakistan Army's capitulation against Indian forces was complete. Following this decisive victory, India announced itself as a major regional force.
Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh were devastating events for West Pakistan, the aftershocks of which continue to this day. Along with the physical fall of Dacca, Pakistan was also defeated psychologically. The two-nation theory, that Muslims of the subcontinent formed a nation, was demolished. Pakistan is still searching for a rationale for the dismemberment. For India, this battle is considered a historical occurrence. Because of this, December 16 is commemorated nationwide as "Vijay Diwas" to honour India's triumph over Pakistan. According to reports, 3,900 Indian soldiers are believed to have died and 9,851 have been injured during the Battle of 1971.
