Vijay Diwas 2020: 49 Years Ago, 93,000 Pakistani Soldiers Surrendered To India; Here’s All You Need To Know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Wednesday light up Swarnim Vijay Mashaal' from the eternal flame of the National War Memorial.

(FILES) Indian army officers and soldiers stand 11 December 1971 atop a captured Pakistani tank in the desert of the state of Rajasthan during the India-Pakistan border conflict. (Photo by AFP FILES / AFP)

Vijay Diwas 2020: 49 years ago, on this very day, 93,000 Pakistani troops under their chief General AA Khan Niazi, surrendered unconditionally before the Indian forces. Ever since then, December 16 is commemorated as Vijay Diwas in Bangladesh & India, to observe victory over Pakistan in War of 1971 for the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan.

The allied forces of Indian Army and Mukti Bahini were led by General Jagjit Singh Aurora, of India in the Ramna Race Course, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka.

The end of the war resulted in the unilateral and unconditional surrender of the Pakistan Army and subsequent secession of East Pakistan into Bangladesh

On 16 December every year, Citizens, senior officials, students & war veterans lay wreaths and remember the sacrifices of the soldiers.

Vijay Diwas 2020: PM Modi to light Swarnim Vijay Mashal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Wednesday light up Swarnim Vijay Mashaal' from the eternal flame of the National War Memorial marking the 50th anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in 1971.

The prime minister will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at NWM on Wednesday, the statement said.

Four victory mashaals (flaming torches) will be lit from the eternal flame and they will be carried to various parts of India, including to the villages of Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra awardees of the 1971 war, the defence ministry said in a statement.

"Soil from the villages of these awardees and from areas where major battles were fought in 1971 are being brought to the National War Memorial (NWM)," it said.

The prime minister, chief of defence staff and tri-service chiefs will then lay wreaths and pay homage to the fallen soldiers, it said.

Various commemorative events will be conducted pan-India wherein war veterans will be felicitated, the statement said, adding that band displays, seminars, exhibitions, equipment displays, film festivals, conclaves and adventure activities will also be held on the day.

(Additional inputs from PTI)