Navy Day celebrations this year will be held at the iconic Sindhudurg Fort off the Maharashtra coast, built by Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century, officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday, continuing the tri-services’ new tradition of holding their flagship ceremonial events outside the national capital.
On December 4, India observes Navy Day to commemorate the Indian Navy’s strike on the Karachi harbor during the 1971 war with Pakistan.
Last year, Navy Day was observed at Visakhapatnam for the first time outside of New Delhi. In addition, the Indian Army and Indian Air Force had their yearly parades in Bengaluru and Chandigarh, respectively. This year’s Air Force Day parade will take place at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
“Navy Day was celebrated on the east coast last year. This year, the celebrations will be organised on the west coast. The venue has been chosen carefully and the Sindhudurg Fort meets the navy’s requirements to conduct an operational demonstration of its frontline assets. It also has rich maritime history,” said one of the officials cited above, asking not to be named.