Vijay Diwas

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• India celebrates Vijay Diwas every year on 16th December to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war.

1971 Bangladesh Liberation war

• During the struggle for independence in East Pakistan, the war started on  December 3, 1971, and ended 13 days later on December 16 with India winning the war.
• In this war, Pakistan suffered the maximum casualty with about 8,000 dead and 25,000 wounded, while India lost 3000 soldiers and 12,000 were injured.

Surrender

• On 16th December 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered unconditionally to the joint forces of Bangladesh’s Mukti Bahini and Indian Army, led by 
• Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, in Dhaka after their defeat. 
• It was the biggest-ever military surrender after World War II.

Creation of Bangladesh

• The end of the war resulted in the creation of Bangladesh, which was until then East Pakistan. 
• Bangladesh celebrates the day as ‘Bijoy Dibos’ to mark the country’s formal independence from Pakistan.

Source:ET