Indian Army is symbol of strength and courage: CM Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said the Indian Army is a symbol of strength and courage of the country's 140 crore people.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the three-day 'Know Your Army' festival organised at the Army's Central Command here, he said only a strong army can realise the vision of a secure and sovereign nation.

The chief minister formally inaugurated the festival by releasing colourful balloons into the sky, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement.

Adityanath also paid tributes to the gallant soldiers, who have laid down their lives to defend the nation.

''The Indian Army is a symbol of strength and courage of the 140 crore people of our country,'' he said.

The chief minister underlined it is a matter of pride that the Central Command, with its headquarters in Lucknow, has been selected to host the 76th Army Day Parade on January 15. ''This is a unique opportunity for the youth of the state to know the Indian Army and be inspired by their bravery and valour,'' he said.

Adityanath also assured of the state government's commitment towards the welfare of the serving and retired soldiers.

Describing the bravery display of the Sikh Regiment as brilliant, the chief minister said this is the ancient art of India through which our skilled youth used to give a befitting reply to the invaders.

He expressed happiness that the Indian Army has not only honoured this art of bravery by making it a part of the ancient art of war, but has also done the work of honouring the sacrifices of the Sikh Gurus by placing them in front of the nation's youth.

''Through the 'Know Your Army' festival, we are not only getting the opportunity to see the exhibition of army equipments and weapons, but will also get an opportunity to know closely and understand the power, valour and patriotism of the army,'' Adityanath said.

''This is also an opportunity to know about the weapons of the army, their working style and working efficiency about which the public generally remains unaware,'' he added.

Asserting Uttar Pradesh is the land of heroes, the chief minister said, ''Our soldiers have made important contributions in every battle and fought for the security of the country. While protecting the country, our soldiers have brought pride to the state.'' Adityanath said the country is today achieving the goal of self-reliance in every sector.

''In such a situation, we are rapidly becoming self-reliant in the matter of weapons and equipments for the army,'' he added.

On this occasion, the chief minister visited the exhibition organised here in which the army equipments as well as state-of-the-art weapons were displayed.

Adityanath also took information from the army officials about various weapons and military items.

He also discussed the Defence Node of Uttar Pradesh and the Defence Expo organised in 2020.

The chief minister informed that 100 new Sainik Schools are being built in the country, adding of these 16 Sainik Schools are being built in Uttar Pradesh. Adityanath said that Uttar Pradesh is not only the first state to provide Sainik School in the country, but has also become the first state to start it for the girls.

He added that Sainik School for the girls has been started in Vrindavan.

Army Commander Lieutenant General Raja Subramani said that it was a proud moment for the Central Command and Lucknow city to host the Army Day Parade this year. Traditionally, the Army Day parades were held in Delhi up to 2022. The decision to shift the event outside Delhi is aimed to promote a greater outreach and understanding of Indian Army in other regions of the country.

Lieutenant General Subramani also reassured that the Indian Army and the Central Command remain fully prepared and committed to meet the security challenges along the borders in this region.

Interacting with the school children and the NCC cadets, he emphasised on the significance of understanding and appreciating the advancements in military technology.

During the festival, the soldiers of the Sikh Regiment displayed their traditional bravery on the Punjabi tunes.

The Defence PRO in a statement said that notable exhibits put up included the T-90 tank, the Indian Army's Main Battle Tank, indigenous K-9 Vajra self-propelled artillery gun and the domestically produced Weapon Locating Radar, Swathi. The event also proudly featured Atmanirbhar Bharat's tech-driven army, with many indigenously produced weapons and military equipment, he added.