Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General MM Naravane is set to soon unveil the Indian Army Memorial in the Casino town of Italy when he arrives in the country as a part of his four-day tour during which he will also be visiting the United Kingdom (UK), reports Hindustan Times.
The memorial has been built to pay homage to over 5,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting German and Japanese forces during World War II. It should be noted that between 1943 and 1945, nearly 50,000 Indian soldiers were deployed to fight for Italy’s liberation.
Besides Casino, Italy has many cemeteries where Indian soldiers are buried. Perugia, Luca, Florence, San Marino, Cesena, Forli, Ferrara, and Bologna are a few Italian cities that Indian soldiers helped to liberate during World War II.
It should also be noted that during his visit to Italy, General Naravane will also be briefed at the Italian Army’s Counter IED Centre of Excellence at Rome’s Cecchingola.
General Naravane’s tour is set to begin today. During the first two days, he will be meeting with the UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of General Staff and other dignitaries.