JAMMU, Jan 10: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah besides top Army Commanders are likely to join the ‘Veterans Day’ celebrations at Akhnoor on January 14.However, Army chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi may not be able to join the function as he will be busy in Army Day celebrations scheduled to be held this year at Pune on January 15.
Officials told the Excelsior that this is for the first time when bigwigs from Central and UT Governments will be attending the ‘Veterans Day’ celebrations in jammu, Northern Command chief Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 16 Corps Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva and other top Army officers will also be present.
“Presence of top brass shows significance the Central and UT Governments and the Army attach to the veterans,” they said, adding a number of veterans have also been invited to the function.
Armed Forces Veterans’ Day is celebrated on 14th January every year to recognize the service rendered by the First Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Field Marshal KM Cariappa, who retired on this day in 1953. The day was first celebrated in 2016 and it is commemorated every year since by hosting such interactive events in the honour of the ex-servicemen.
“As the Defence Minister and the CDS are likely to be in Jammu, the possibility of their meeting with the Army Commanders on sidelines of the function to review security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir is not ruled out,” the sources said.
This will be Rajnath’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after formation of political Government in October last year. He addressed number of rallies for the BJP candidates during the election campaigning.
The Defence Minister and the Chief of Defence Staff will return to New Delhi in the evening.
The Veteran’s Day in Akhnoor will be followed by Army Day celebrations the next day.
This year’s Army Day celebrations will focus on three core themes including modernization, inclusivity and public engagement. The Army will highlight its advancements in technology and combat readiness as part of its 2025 modernization roadmap.
The tradition of moving Army Day celebrations outside Delhi began in 2023, intending to showcase the Army’s presence across the nation and honour local communities that have significantly contributed to the armed forces. Last year’s event in Bengaluru spotlighted the Army’s technological partnerships and outreach in the southern region. This year, Pune will shine a light on the Army’s historical roots and future ambitions.
The Army Roadmap for 2025 includes technology driven warfare like embracing artificial intelligence, robotics and cyber capabilities to prepare for future conflicts, strengthening border preparedness by enhancing infrastructure and surveillance capabilities in critical areas like ladakh and the Northeast, increasing collaboration with Indian startups and industries to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing and expanding international collaboration by strengthening ties with partner nations through joint exercises and knowledge-sharing programs.
