The Eastern Theatre
encompassing the snow-capped peaks of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh
towards the North, the jungle clad hill tracts of Nagaland Manipur,
Mizoram and Tripura and Meghalaya in the North-East and the alluvial
fertile plains of Assam and Bengal, is a veritable conglomeration of
flora and fauna in all its imaginable diversities. This is not only
the most enticing and enchanting part of our country displaying
nature's bounty at its best but also boasts of a wide diversity of
cultures woven together by the underlying thread of nationalism. The
abundance of natural resources coupled with the gracious and warm
nature of the inhabitants makes the region uniquely different.
Headquarters of
Eastern Command, occupying Fort William, the former seat and symbol
of authority of the British Empire has an unparalleled aura not
experienced by any other formation. The historic structures and
edifices in and around the Fort, narrate the tales of trials and
triumphs of the British Army and the post Independence Indian Army.
The history of the region is replete with stories of uncanny heroic
deeds of valour and sacrifice since the days of yore. The close
proximity to a number of neighboring countries add significance to
its strategic geopolitical position and standing.
In sharp contrast
to the seemingly placid atmosphere, Eastern Command has remained
heavily committed in active operations since its inception.
Formations and units of the Command bore the brunt during the
Chinese aggression in 1962 and were again in the forefront in 1971
Indo-Pak War, which changed the course of history of the
subcontinent and installed India as an unchallenged regional power.
With such a glorious past and major ongoing commitments both along
the border and in containing insurgency, the Eastern Army has much
to be proud of.
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