New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) Discussions on India’s military history and heritage, as well as issues related to national security and geopolitics, were in focus on the second and final day of the annual Indian Military Heritage Festival (IMHF), an official said.

Hosted by the United Service Institution of India, the two-day event served as a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue and engagement among the three Services, administrators and diplomats, academia and think-tanks, private and public industry, and the public at large, the official said in a statement.

The premier platform celebrated India’s rich military legacy while fostering meaningful dialogue on national security, said a Ministry of Defence official.

The festival aimed to create an international forum for discussion and strengthen military engagement and diplomacy with partner nations and organisations, it said.

Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Sanjay Seth, on Friday, inaugurated the third edition of the annual IMHF, stressing the need to preserve history in books and learning from it to further strengthen military power.

Addressing the festival’s inaugural session, MoS Seth said, “This festival allows us to connect with our glorious military traditions and heroic tales and inspires us for the future.”

He told the youth that knowing our military history is not only a matter of pride but also an opportunity to build a strong foundation for self-reliance and national security.

Hosted by the United Service Institution of India, the two-day event on November 14 and 15 focuses on fostering discussions on India’s military history and heritage as well as issues related to national security and geopolitics.

The IMHF aims to serve as a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue and engagement among the three Services, administrators and diplomats, academia and think-tanks, private and public industry, and the public at large, an official said in a statement.

The IMHF 2025 featured attractions such as an exhibition of iconic military paintings of Lieutenant Colonel Arul Raj (Retd) and the release of publications including: “The Sukraniti: Statecraft and Warcraft” by Colonel P.K. Gautam (Retd) and “Honours & Awards of the Indian Armed Forces” by A.K. Mishra.

The event also included panel discussions featuring well-known authors of books on or related to India’s military history and heritage. These include sessions titled Operation Sindoor, The War India Forgot, Contested Partitions, Tussles over Tibet, BSF and Bangladesh, Udbhav, Taming the Waves, Military Biographies, and Technology and Strategy.

The last edition of the festival witnessed the launch of Project ‘Shaurya Gatha’. The project is an initiative of the Department of Military Affairs and the United Service Institution (USI) of India, which aims to conserve and promote India’s military heritage through education and tourism,” the statement said.

During the two-day programme, prominent publications on military topics were the key highlight, with book releases including: Because of This: A History of the Indo-Pak Air War December 1971 by Air Marshal Vikram Singh (Retd); Valour and Honour – a joint publication of the Indian Army and USI of India, and Silent Weapons, Deadly Secrets: Unveiling the Bioweapons Arms Race by Mrinmayee Bhushan, edited by Lieutenant General Vinod Khandare (Retd), Ministry of Defence Principal Advisor, among others.

In 2024, the Defence Research and Development Organisation presented a photo exhibition highlighting its journey and achievements in contributing to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ through innovations in defence research.

–IANS

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