The nation is offering respects to the Martyrs today who laid down their lives during 1971 India-Pakistan war on the occasion of Vijay Diwas. <br/><br/>On the occasion, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar along with Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and Air Force Chief Marshal Arup Raha laid wreaths and offered respects to the Martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti today.<br/><br/>On this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, had surrendered unconditionally to the allied forces consisting of Indian Army and Mukti Bahini, led by General Jagjit Singh Aurora in Dhaka after their defeat in the war. <br/><br/>Later, talking to media Mr Parrikar said that it's a day when India achieved a decisive victory and created a new country. <br/><br/><br/>The Defence Minister informed that announcement of the next army chief would be there very soon.<br/> <br/>Army chief Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag is retiring on 31st of this month. Air chief Marshal Arup Raha is also retiring on the same day. <br/> <br/>Special programmes are also being organised to commemorate Vijay Diwas at the headquarters of the Eastern Command at the Fort William in Kolkata. Led by Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, a 72-member delegation of war veterans and Mukti Jodahas from the neighbouring country will participate in Vijay Diwas celebrations there.<br/><br/>A Wreath-Laying ceremony was also held today at the War Memorial, Headquarters Training Command, Indian Air Force, Bengaluru. <br/><br/>Air Marshal SRK Nair, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, laid a wreath at the War Memorial on behalf of all personnel of the Indian Air Force in Bengaluru.<br/><br/>Local Army and Navy Commanders and senior retired officers of all the three services also laid wreaths. The ceremony concluded after observing a two-minute silence in the memory of the Martyrs.