Brief: Vijay Diwas is celebrated on December 16 every year in honour of the Indian armed forces’ victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war. Fifty years ago, the day marked the largest military surrender after the Second World War, as 93,000 soldiers of the Pakistan Army laid down their arms before the Indian forces -- resulting in the liberation of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan. Vijay Diwas is to commemorate the victory of the Indian Armed Forces against the Pakistani troops in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Tributes are paid to martyrs who lost their lives to defend their nation.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on December 16 laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on the occasion of ‘Vijay Diwas’, commemorating India`s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Attending the Vijay Diwas exhibition in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi checked out the stalls at the exhibition on December 15. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also accompanied the PM at the exhibition.
With the partition of India in 1947, West and East Pakistan came into being. The 1970 parliamentary elections ended with an overwhelming number of East Pakistanis voting for a political party that advocated autonomy for East Pakistan. However, these efforts were blocked by the army and the then Pakistani government. Mass protests in the Eastern part began, but were brutally suppressed by the Pakistan Army.In effect a massive refugee movement began in neighbouring India. East Pakistani guerilla forces, backed by India, fought the Pakistan Army in 1971.
Pakistan responded with air attacks on India, resulting in open war between the two powers beginning on December 3. The war between India and Pakistan lasted for 13 days, ending on December 16, 1971. The 1971 War between the India and Pakistan forces played a key role in the liberation of Bangladesh. Following this, a new country came into being, Bangladesh. Hence, the day is also celebrated in Bangladesh as ‘Bijoy Dibos’ or ‘Victory Day’.