india

Updated: Jan 15, 2019 14:58 IST

The Indian Army on Tuesday celebrated the 71st Army Day, which is observed on January 15 every year to mark the taking over of the force by an Indian commander-in-chief, Lieutenant General KM Cariappa, from the then-British chief of the forces, General Sir Francis Butcher in January 1949.

Parades and military shows were taken out in the national capital New Delhi and other places where Army has its headquarters. The force also remembered soldiers who have laid down their lives for the country in the line of duty and honoured their kin.

On Army Day, greetings to the valiant men and women of the Indian Army, to veterans and their families. You are our nation’s pride, the sentinels of our liberty. Citizens sleep securely knowing you are ever awake and ever vigilant #PresidentKovind — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 15, 2019

सेना दिवस के अवसर पर हमारे जवानों, पूर्व सैनिकों और उनके परिवारों को बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं। हम सभी देशवासियों को अपने सैनिकों के दृढ़ संकल्प एवं समर्पण पर गर्व है। मैं उनके अदम्य साहस एवं वीरता को प्रणाम करता हूं। — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 15, 2019

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other leaders greeted the Army on social media.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat attended the Army day event at the Cariappa Parade Ground in Delhi’s Cantonment area. He said the Army will not hesitate to take strong action to deal with terror activities along the border with Pakistan.

The Army has been involved in securing the borders of the country and has been engaged in gun battles with the Pakistani troops and militants in Jammu and Kashmir.

On Tuesday too, the Pakistani Army violated ceasefire in Hiranagar and Sunderbani sectors of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian troops retaliated effectively, officials said.

An officer of the Border Security Force (BSF) was killed in sniper fire from across the border in Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir, news agency PTI reported.

One of the biggest armies in the world, the Indian Army has fought five major wars with neighbours, Pakistan and China, the most recent being the Kargil war in 1999 with Pakistan.

The Army has also taken part in more than 40 peacekeeping missions of the United Nations in various countries.

Besides fighting, it has helped the country during natural disasters and calamities, especially the 2013 Uttarakhand flash floods.

The army also coordinates with other forces, such as Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) others to carry out various security-related tasks in the country.