Authorities have taken a decision to hold the annual Navy Day celebrations later this year outside Visakhapatnam, sources said on Tuesday. The choice of the new venue is "not finalised yet", but Mumbai is being considered, they said. The Army Day Parade next year will be held outside Delhi, official sources had said earlier in the day.
The Air Force Day on October 8 this year will also be held outside its traditional venue of Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad, IAF officials had recently said. Asked if the Navy Day celebrations too will be shifted to a venue outside Visakhapatnam, a naval source said, "Yes" while asserting that "the new venue has not been finalised yet".
"The country celebrates December 4 every year as Navy Day in commemoration of Operation Trident when the ships of the Indian Navy delivered a lethal and powerful missiles attack on Karachi harbour, paving way for a great victory for India during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and in memory of those who made supreme sacrifice," according to the Indian Navy website.
A large number of Indian Navy ships and other vessels of different classes and capabilities gather in Visakhapatnam annually to mark the historic day with grand celebrations. Last year, India also celebrated the golden jubilee of the victory of the 1971 war as 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh'.
(With PTI inputs)
