Vijay Diwas is a day of immense pride for India, commemorating the nation’s historic victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war.
India’s Historic Victory : Vijay Diwas
Vijay Diwas is a day of immense pride for India, commemorating the nation’s historic victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war. This conflict, lasting just 13 days, concluded with Pakistan’s unconditional surrender, leading to the creation of Bangladesh. On December 16, 1971, Lieutenant General A.A.K. Niazi of the Pakistani Army signed the Instrument of Surrender in Dhaka. This act marked the end of the war and celebrated the birth of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation.
Under the leadership of PM Indira Gandhi and military icons like Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and Lt. General Jagjit Singh Aurora, India demonstrated exceptional strategic and military excellence. On December 4, 1971, Operation Trident was launched by India. In this operation, the Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command successfully conducted a surprise attack on Karachi port. It was done under the codename Trident.
In East Pakistan, the Mukti Bahini guerrillas joined hands with Indian forces to fight against Pakistani troops in the east. The battles that were fought in the area of responsibility of the Southern Army consisted of the famous battles of Longewala and Parbat Ali. Here, Pakistan’s armoured forces were destroyed by resolute Indian troops.
Soldiers of the renowned 10 Para Commando Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) Bhawani Singh carried out a raid on the Pakistani town of Chachro. These battles have created an example in history and show the grit, determination, and bravery of our soldiers. On December 14, the IAF attacked a house where a meeting was taking place with the governor of East Pakistan. Pakistan was shaken by this attack. As a result, the surrender process started on 16 December 1971 and around 93,000 Pakistani forces had surrendered at that time.
Thus, on December 16, 1971, Bangladesh was born as a new nation and East Pakistan became independent from Pakistan. December 16 is celebrated as ‘Vijay Diwas‘ to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan across the country. It is said that in the war of 1971, about 3,900 Indian soldiers were martyred and about 9,851 were injured.
Vijay Diwas is a solemn reminder of the courage, sacrifice, and strategic brilliance of the Indian Armed Forces. The day is marked with commemorations nationwide, including wreath-laying ceremonies, military parades, and cultural events.
