Rupa
Punjab Regiment will represent the Indian Army at the Bastille Day Celebration in France this year. The Punjab Regiment contingent, led by Captain Aman Jagtap, has three officers, four junior officers and 69 other ranks. The Indian Air Force contingent and the Indian Navy Contingent are led by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy and Commander Vrat Baghel, respectively.
A tri-service contingent of the Indian Armed Forces will send its 269 members to parade alongside their French counterparts. The tri-service team comprises a 38-member band from the Rajputana Rifles, the senior-most Rifle Regiment of the Indian Army. Four IAF Rafale jets will take part in the flypast during the parade. The contingent set out for the Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris on Thursday. They boarded the flight from the Air Force Station, Jamnagar.
The Punjab Regiment is the Indian Army’s one of the oldest Infantry Regiment. Its formation can be traced back to 1761. The regiment took part in both World War I and II and played a role in several post-independence operations. In World War I, 18 Battle and Theatre Honours were bestowed upon them. The Soldiers of the Punjab Regiment fought in France, Damascus, Hong Kong, China, Egypt, Palestine, Gallipoli and Mesopotamia.
In September 1915, they took part in an offensive near Neuve Chapelle, France, which earned them prestigious Battle Honours ‘France and Flanders’ and ‘Loos’. In World War II, they received 14 Theatre Honours and 16 Battle Honours. The Regiment gets the lion’s share of its rank and file from Punjab, the Jammu region and some neighbouring areas of Himachal Pradesh. The India-French military collaboration can trace its origin to World War I. Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers took part in the war, with about 74, 000 dead and 67, 000 injured.
Indian soldiers played bravely in France. Their valour, spirit and supreme sacrifice stopped the enemy and contributed heavily towards the victory. In World War II, 2.5 million Indian soldiers fought vigilantly in different continents from Asia to Europe and Africa. They had significant contributions on the battlefield of France. A large number of Battle and Theatre Honours as well as gallantry awards were conferred upon them in recognition of their brevity.
France celebrates their National Day (Fête Nationale Française), also referred to as the Bastille Day on 14 April to commemorate the anniversary of Storming of the Bastille during the great French Revolution in 1789.
This year, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to be present at the Bastille Day Parade in France as an Honourable Guest. Both India and France will celebrate their 25 glorious years of Strategic Partnership in 2023. The armed forces from both countries have been performing joint exercises and sharing their experiences.
