In photos: President, prime minister greet forces and veterans on 71st Army Day

The 71st Army Day was celebrated in New Delhi on Tuesday with a parade at the Cariappa Parade Ground, reported The Indian Express. Army Day is celebrated to mark the occasion when Lieutenant General KM Cariappa took over from General Francis Butcher as Commander-in-Chief of India on January 1949.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended their wishes to Army personnel, veterans and families, All India Radio reported.

“On Army Day, greetings to the valiant men and women of the Indian Army, to veterans and their families,” the president tweeted. “You are our nation’s pride, the sentinels of our liberty. Citizens sleep securely knowing you are ever awake and ever vigilant.”

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said it was the country’s duty to honour the patience and courage of the families of former servicemen and soldiers. He said it was the responsibility of every citizen to ensure morale and respect of the Indian Army always remain high. It was important to enhance strategic research in the country, the vice president added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the people in the country were proud of the determination and sacrifice of the soldiers.

Here are photographs from the event:

Army chief General Bipin Rawat said at the parade that the Indian Army will not hesitate to take action to deal with terror activities along the western border, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.

“We are ensuring moral dominance along border in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. “The Indian Army will not hesitate to take strong action to deal with terror activities along the western border.”

Union minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said every Indian soldier was the “epitome of matchless valour and boundless determination”. He said they embody the motto of the Indian Army: Service Before Self.