Indian Army by its grit and dedication to the Indian Republic thwarted Pakistan in four wars. The only time it went under was against China in 1962, not because it lacked valor or leadership but because of the political leadership of Nehru who was found wanting both in terms of misreading China’s intentions and not allotting adequate resources for war preparedness to the Indian Army in the preceding period.
In the last nineteen years the Indian Army has faced the onslaught of Pakistan’s proxy war and terrorism and losing hundreds of lives and others maimed. In combating this threat the Indian Army has had to fight with one hand tied due to the political considerations of successive Governments, either due to electoral considerations or external pressures.
Whenever the civilian machinery fails whether it be law and order, natural calamities or disasters it is the Indian Army that steps in for relief and assistance. The relief assistance provided by the Indian Army during the Kashmir and Maharashtra earthquake won not only the gratitude of the average citizens but also of the international community. The Indian Army has also done India proud in the many UN peacekeeping operations all over the world for which it has been highly praised by the United Nations.
A glorious record of such services and sacrifices of the Indian Army surely deserves the nations gratitude not by rhetoric on every Republic Day but by more meaningful manifestations which surely every Government is aware of but does not concede. The average Indian citizen can contribute by being more aware of India’s defence preparedness and monitoring the Government of the day in terms of allotment of adequate financial resources for war preparedness and that extraneous political considerations do not delay defence acquisitions. More importantly, they should ensure that the political leadership of the day provides realistic political component of national threat assessments of actual, potential or adversaries in the making so that like 1962 the Indian Army is never again has to face a military humiliation for no fault of its own.
India will once again celebrate its Republic Day on January 26, 2009; it’s fifty-ninth. Indians will once again look forward to witness the grand spectacle of the display of India’s military might by the Indian Army and the other two Services on Rajpath in New Delhi and beamed across by TV to millions others. It is preceded by the Prime Minister laying a floral wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate (memorial to the Unknown Soldier) paying a national tribute to the thousands of Indian Army officers and soldiers who since 1947 have laid down their lives to defend the Indian Republic against external and internal threats.
Can the Nation utilize the twenty lakh ESM Asset so created, with dignity and honour, towards enrichment of its citizens?
India's National Debt of honour to The Indian Armed Forces
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