Indian Army's 'Queen of Battle' turns 69, spirit of Infantryman remains indomitable

The Indian Army is celebrating its 69th Infantry Day on October 27 to remember and honour all the officers and soldiers of the Infantry who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting Pakistani Raiders in Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.

Why is Infantry Day celebrated on October 27th

October 27 is celebrated as Infantry Day by the Indian Army as it was on this day that an Infantry company of the First Battalion of the SIKH Regiment was airlifted from Delhi to Srinagar to liberate Kashmir from the invading tribals who were supported by Pakistan Army. This action was ordered by then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru after Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession acceding Jammu Kashmir to India.

How important is the Infantry's role in the Combat Doctrine of an Army

Infantry is one of the fighting arms of an army that engages in military combat on foot. As the troops who engage with the enemy in close-ranged combat, infantry units bear the largest brunt of warfare and typically suffer the greatest number of casualties during a military campaign. Historically, as the oldest branch of the combat arms, the infantry are the tip of the spear of a modern army, and continually undergo training that is typically more physically stressful and psychologically demanding than that of any other branch of the combat arms.