Vijay Diwas also referred to as victory day is celebrated on 16th December every year in India. It marks India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war. The 1971 war was fought between India and Pakistan for the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan. In Bangladesh, the day is celebrated as Bijoy Debosh.  

The Indo – Pakistani war of 1971 was fought from 3rd December 1971 to the fall of Dacca (now Dhaka) on 16th December 1971. The war took place during the liberation war in East Pakistan. The war began when eleven Indian air stations were struck by the Pakistan forces. Because of these air strikes, a war broke out between India and Pakistan leading into the war of independence in East Pakistan. The Indian and the Pakistan military clashed on the eastern and western front. The war came to an end when the Eastern command of the Pakistan military surrendered before the Indian forces. The Instrument of Surrender was signed by the Eastern command of the Pakistan military on 16th December 1971 in Dhaka thus forming a new nation known as Bangladesh from East Pakistan. This was one of the shortest wars in the history which lasted for 13 days.

(Pakistan forces signing the instrument of surrender in the presence of the Indian Forces)

The commander of the Pakistan Eastern Command, Lieutenant-General A.A.K. Niazi signed the Instrument of Surrender in the Ramna Race Course (now known as Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka on 16th December 1971 under the presence of India’s Lieutenant-General Jagjit Singh Aurora, Vice Admiral Krishnan from the Indian Navy and Air Marshal Dewan from the Indian Air Force. Lieutenant-General A.A.K. Niazi surrendered with approximately 95000 Pakistan soldiers before the Indian Army. 

Every year on 16th December Vijay Diwas is celebrated by paying tributes to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation. The Indian Minister of Defence along with the heads of the three wings of the Indian armed forces pays their tribute at Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate in New Delhi.