India on Thursday said that the year 2021 will be a historic year for India-Bangladesh bilateral relations as both countries will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation War of 1971, which led to the creation of Bangladesh.
Speaking at a virtual briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said: "India and Bangladesh are commemorating 50 years of diplomatic ties this year, and the tri-services contingent from Bangladesh is visiting India at the invitation of the government to participate in the Republic Day parade. This is a testimony to our ties, which are forged, shared and sacrificed. Now this year 2021 will also be historic in our bilateral relations as we are also commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation War."
The MEA spokesperson recalled the virtual summit held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina, where it was agreed that both nations would jointly organise several activities to celebrate the Republic Day and the 50th anniversary of the Liberation War in India, Bangladesh and other countries.
He further said that a number of such activities are being planned which will celebrate the legacy of shared history between the two countries.
Earlier, it was announced that in a show of respect to India and to commemorate its 50 years of the Liberation War, the Bangladesh Tri-service marching contingent and the ceremonial band will participate in this year's Republic Day parade at Rajpath in New Delhi.
The Indian High Commission in Bangladesh stated in a release that a contingent of 122 proud soldiers of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, departed for India in a specially sent IAF C-17 aircraft.
The contingent will participate in India's Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on 26 January 2021.
In one of the fastest and shortest campaigns of military history, a new nation (Bangladesh) was born as a result of the swift campaign undertaken by the Indian Army.
After facing defeat in the 1971 war, the then Army Chief of Pakistan General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with his 93,000 troops, surrendered to allied forces, which also comprised Indian Army personnel.