Knowledge nugget of the day: Indian Army Day 2025

2. This is the second occasion when the Pune-headquartered Southern Command is hosting the event in its area of responsibility after Bengaluru, where it was held in 2023.

3. Pune hosting the Army Day Parade holds significance that extends beyond its symbolic value. It can be seen as a celebration of the city’s rich military history dating back to the era of the Maratha empire. The event also aptly highlights the current military prominence of Pune as it is home to numerous operational, strategic, and training establishments.

4. In addition to being home to the strategically significant Southern Command, Pune is also home to some major defence establishments. The over-200-year-old Bombay Engineer Group and Centre, which will coincidently host the Army Day Parade, stands as a major centre of military engineering.

5. Premier defence training establishments like the National Defence Academy, Armed Forces Medical College, College of Military Engineering, Military Intelligence Training School and Depot, and INS Shivaji put Pune on the global map of military training. Hosting the Army Day Parade is considered a recognition of Pune’s present military prominence.

6. Three critical DRDO facilities, Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), High Energy Material Research Laboratory (HEMRL) and Research and Development Establishment (Engineers), and three sensitive ordnance factories put Pune at the forefront of defence research manufacturing.

Year of Defence Reforms

1. India has declared 2025 the year of defence reforms. The focus will be on rolling out integrated theatre commands to boost tri-services synergy and ensure simpler and time-sensitive military procurement, with a broader aim of transforming the military into a technologically advanced force.

2. The overall aim of the nine-point reforms planned by the defence ministry would be to ensure deeper collaboration among key stakeholders, break silos, eliminate inefficiencies, and optimise utilisation of resources.

3. One of the nine points listed by the ministry was to take the initiative to instill a “sense of pride” in Indian culture and ideas, fostering confidence in achieving global standards through indigenous capabilities while imbibing best practices from modern militaries that suit the nation’s conditions.

About Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa

General KM Cariappa. Express archive photo 14.1.86 *** Local Caption *** General KM Cariappa

📍KM Cariappa is a man known for many firsts, but most importantly, he is known as the man who took charge of the Indian Army from its last British Commander in Chief, General Sir Roy Bucher. Born on January 28, 1899, in Coorg, Cariappa completed his education at Central High School at Madikeri and went on to study at the Presidency College in Madras.

📍On January 15, 1949, Cariappa became the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. He held the five-star rank of field marshal, the highest honour in the Indian Army, which Sam Manekshaw is the only other officer to have held. He was also awarded the ‘Order of the Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit’ by US President, Harry Truman.

📍Speaking in Srinagar shortly after taking over as commander-in-chief, General Cariappa said

The Army is the servant of the people and it exists to defend democracy and protect the country’s newly won freedom in accordance with the gospel of truth, love and sacrifice preached by Mahatma Gandhi.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: Armed Forces Veterans Day

Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh at the 9th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day celebrations, in Akhnoor, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (PIB via PTI Photo)

1. The Armed Forces Veterans’ Day is celebrated every year on January 14 across India to pay respects to the armed forces veterans for their selfless duty and sacrifices and to reinforce solidarity towards the next of kin of the Bravehearts.

2. The first Armed Forces Veterans Day was organised on January 14, 2017, as a pan-India event under the purview of the Ministry of Defence. The aim was to salute the unwavering dedication and sacrifices of tri-services veterans while standing in solidarity with their families.

3. January 14 was chosen to be celebrated as Veterans’ Day as it was on this day in 1953 when Field Marshal KM Cariappa, the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army post-independence, retired after glorious service to the nation and became a veteran.

4. In the US and many other countries in the West, Veterans Day also marked as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day is commemorated every year on November 11, as a mark of respect towards the military veterans.

5. The day marks the anniversary of the end of World War I. Most of the battles of the First World War had formally come to an end at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.

6. Anzac Day on April 25 is observed in Australia and New Zealand as a show of respect to all Australian and New Zealand soldiers who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations of the two Armies.

(Source: Why Armed Forces Veterans’ Day is celebrated every year on Jan 14, ‘Year of reforms’, Who was Field Marshal KM Cariappa?)

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