For the first time, the country’s defence establishment, led by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, on Saturday paid homage to those who fought the 1962 war with China and sacrificed their lives.
The Minister and the three Service chiefs, followed by Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju, laid wreaths at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate here.
More than 3,000 Indian soldiers laid down their lives during the war. It was the first time they were officially honoured.
Earlier, Mr. Antony ruled out any possibility of China repeating 1962, asserting that the present day India is not of that period and is now fully capable of defending itself. The country did not focus on enhancing the infrastructure in the north-east, but has substantially improved its assets and manpower now, he noted.
India would continue to develop infrastructure and provide best equipment to the armed forces while continuing dialogues with China on the border issue and maintaining cordial relations with that country, he said. Speaking to journalists at another event to honour the 1962 war soldiers, he said, “I would like to assure the nation that the India of today is not the India of 1962. Over the years, successive governments, learning lessons from the past, have strengthened our capabilities and modernised our armed forces... we are confident that the armed forces will be able to protect the border in event of any threat.”
India was holding dialogue with China to find a solution to the long-pending border dispute and had established a mechanism to “immediately settle’’ any tensions on the border.
Asked why it took 50 years for the government to honour the soldiers of the 1962 war, the Minister said: “Nothing changed. This is the 50th year and we thought this is the time the whole nation must pay our homage to the officers and jawans who lost their lives to protect our border.”
“The major lesson is that we have to strengthen our armed forces to protect our borders. That we are doing and now we are in a position to involve armed forces, intelligence agencies and all those involved in the protection of national security that process is much stronger,” he said.
When will the true history come to light. Its a shame that a country had not recognized or respect its martyrs in time. If a thing that is not done in time then it is never done. We build memorials for Politicians but we never even erect a stone for martyrs. So much so Gandhi is the only martyr we ever know. When I was a kid I came to know what happened in 1962 only from my parents. None of our history books talk anything about the war, its cause and its consequence in detail. History of Free India is still not free as the country is yet to be free from pseudo-nationalist and pseudo-secular. The country is much bigger than the political cause and martyrs are always a source of inspiration. Without their sacrifice I would not have this freedom of posting this message. Today I met a Ghorka veteran. He is disfigured and scared and yet smiling. I was glad to help this ex-serviceman to my best. The least I can do to honour his sacrifice. Jai Jawan.
very impressive speech by defence minister. It is true that this is 2012 and INDIA today is much different as compared to 1962.
sir,
The sacrifice made by jawans and officers during 1962 should be remembered. We should pray for them.
its shameful for our country that a person who never thought of one's
family and need and laid down one's life for the sake of country and
died in harness and we people forget them.really,the days are not so far
when patriotism w'll become just a lesson in our text books.
It is really shocking to learn that we have not been honoring the
memory of the solders died in 1962 war till now.They have made the
supreme sacrifice by laying down their life fighting for the
country.The debacle is due to the leadership.It is really ungrateful of
the nation not to remember them and honor their memory every year
It is a shame that we have not been honoring every year those who made the supreme
sacrifice and laid their life for the nation. It is the fault of the then leadership that we
lost the war. Not remembering and officially honoring the dead is ungrateful and perfidious of us
China is biggest threat for India. China has built roads across indian border , modernised its armed forces and missile technologies. Every chinese army person is equiped with bulletproof jacket, Laptop and GPS systems. This is fact and we should accept it. But compare to 1962 , we are quite stronger in terms of Intelligence and missile technologies.
It would be insufficient to defeat China just being vigilant at border.
We should also be vigilant against corruption and vested interest who
want to split Indians against religion and region.
We have lost our territories to the Chinese in 1962 and they still keep them under their control.While saluting our warriors,why we failed to take a vow to get back our territories through negotiation.Are we going to legitimize it or given up hope of getting it back.Else are we going to compromise this with the Chinese? Why we always keep mum,when our territories are still under illegal occupation of the Chinese in the northern most part of India. What Our defence Minister say on those lost indian territories? Are we strong or weal to get them back?
I would like to recall here the solidarity the whole country had at that time and the heart of every indian was behind the jawans. We were not a rich country and had not enough means as today. i was a very small child but still remember that my mother and other ladies of the locality were knitting woolen garments for the jawans who were in the border.
On this solemn occasion, we bow our head and remember with great respect the sacrifices made by our brave jawans during the 1962 war with China. We Indians have developed the bad habit of using every occasion irrespective of the solemnity to score political brownie points. We should desist from this behaviour. Let us all offer a military salute to the brave men whose valiant acts humble all of us.We are nowhere near their patriotism which is based on sacrifices and not empty slogans.
Definately India of 2012 is not the same as 1962. Today we have a much more modernised armed forces capable of fighting in high mountains. But India of 1962 was a united India fresh from freedom struggle.
Not a single comment? The silence is deafening!
Even China of today is also not china of 1962. And indeed it is much
more stable and mighty than India.
As said by our defense minister "India today is not the India of 1962" but for got to mention that "China of today is also not the china of 1962"
I would like to put the bitter truth forward that in 1962 we were weaker than China and today also.
when will we learn something from china??
B.etter late than never
Why is Mr, Anthony offering a military salute in your photograph? He is a civilian and a namaste, with head bowed in homage, would have been more appropriate.
Thank you ,the minister A.k Antony and the government of India.After fifty year Indian diffence policy seems to be modernized.
A salute to all those who participated and sacrificed their lives in the Indo-China war of 1962.The goverment must pay homage to them in every anniversary
Indian defeat in the hands of Chinese is the result of mistake after mistake done by Nehru and his defense minister Krishna Menon from 1959 to 1962 in dealing with China. Everybody including the then army chief knew that PM is wrong but nobody dared to show mirror to Nehru at that time. Today I want to say only one thing that our army should learn to twist the arms of politicians if they are wrong.
We were depressed in 1962 when India was not a match with China. In Assam we were given Rifle Training by the Govt. in our school. Motive was to resist China.
Now we are happy to hear from the Defense Minister that we are ready and capable of defending the Nation.
Let's not attack but only defend when required.
50 years too late
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