This Republic Day, the Indian Army unveiled the Centurion Tank, PT76 tank, 75/24 Pack howitzer and OT62 TOPAZ Armoured Personnel Carrier which played a significant role in Pakistan’s defeat in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

India celebrated the Swarnim Vijay Varsh (Year of Golden Victory) in 2021 to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war which led to the establishment of Bangladesh. On Wednesday, the army’s mechanized unit showed a PT76 tank, a Centurion tank, two MBT Arjun MKI tanks, an OT62 Topaz Armoured Personnel carrier, a BMPI infantry fighting vehicle, two armored personnel carriers and two BMPII infantry vehicles.

One 75/24 Pack howitzer, two Dhanush howitzers, one PMS bridge-laying system, two Sarvatra bridge-laying systems, one HT16 electronic warfare system, two Taran Shakti electronic warfare systems, one Tiger Cat missile system and two Akash rocket systems were also part of the mechanized units during the Republic Day parade.

During the parade, the Centurion tank detachment of the “Poona Horse Regiment” was led by Captain Rahul Sharma.

Centurion was the frontline tank of the Indian Army during the Indo-Pak War of 1971. In the Battle of Basantar during the war, an armored division and a brigade of the Pakistani 1st Corps faced off against two brigades of the Indian 1st Corps equipped with Centurion tanks.

The losses were heavy on the Pakistani side with 46 tanks destroyed. The PT76 tank present at the parade was led by Captain Anshuman Tiwari of the 69th Armored Regiment.

The PT-76 participated in the Indo-Pakistani wars of 1965 and 1971.

Major Ravi Kumar of the Mechanised Infantry regiment led OT-62 Topaz armoured personnel carrier in the parade. OT-62 played a crucial role during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

The post Republic Day procession Indian Army showcases Centurion tank, PT -76 from Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 first appeared on Defence Aviation Post.