NEW DELHI: In a reference to on-going tension with China on the northern borders Chief of the Army Staff, General MM Naravane, today sent a stern message to the neighbouring county, 'Don't commit the mistake of testing our patience.'

Addressing the Army Day Parade at the Cariappa Parade Ground, Delhi Cantonment on the occasion of Indian Army' 73rd Army Day, General MM Naravane said that the morale of the soldiers deployed in forward areas in the Ladakh sector was higher than the mountains they were defending. “I want to assure the country that the sacrifice of the Galwan braves will not go in vain,” he said

Naravane said that the Indian soldiers had given a befitting reply to Chinese conspiracy of attempting to unilaterally change the status quo along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) where India and China have been locked in a standoff for over eight months.

The Army Day celebration which is observed every year on January 15 to celebrate the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, Field Marshal Kodandera M Cariappa, commenced with wreath laying ceremony at National War Memorial where CDS Gen Bipin Rawat and the three Service Chiefs paid homage to the Martyrs.

After this General Naravane reviewed the parade and awarded 15 Sena Medals (including five posthumously) for individual acts of Gallantry and 23 COAS Unit Citations for commendable performance of their respective units.

Following the parade the army also carried out a live demonstration of Drone Swarming capability using 75 indigenously designed and developed drones which executed an array of Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled simulated offensive missions and close support tasks.