Victory Day celebration echoes in South Asia

This acted in limiting Japan's ability to attack on the Russian frontier. Equally true is that, with so many troops engaged with China, Japan could not press home its initial gains in the Pacific after the Pearl Harbor.

Not many in the sub-continent, and for that matter in China, are aware that India shares a deep connection with China as far as fighting fascist forces are concerned. Shoulder-to- shoulder with Chinese troops, more than 700,000 Indian soldiers fought against Japanese forces in the South-East Asian theatre to free Malay, Burma and Indo-China from occupation. It needs to be highlighted that the industrial and military assistance of India (then a British colony) emerged as the most critical component of the British campaign against imperial Japan and Nazi Germany.

War historians and strategic experts note that India's strategic position at the center of the Indian Ocean, its massive armaments manufacturing capabilities and its large army played a critical role in halting the progress of imperial Japan. Overall, more than 2.5 million Indian troops participated in the Second World War to defeat the Axis forces in various parts of the globe.

Indian soldiers aided in liberating former British colonies such as Singapore and Hong Kong after the Japanese surrender in August 1945. Therefore, it would have been beneficial for the Indian authorities to send its soldiers to join the commemoration parade in China. Perhaps the sensitivity of current Japanese ties forced the authorities to abandon the idea. Instead, it is sending its deputy minister of foreign affairs to be among other foreign dignitaries to witness the major event.

This 70-year victory celebration should not be misconstrued as China's bravado against Japan. The Western press should not devalue China's crucial role in deciding the course of events during the Second World War. It makes great sense to organize event of such nature to remind the world to acknowledge the critical contribution that the Chinese state and society has made to make the world secure and free.

More importantly, the victory parade is a timely tribute to millions of its troops and ordinary citizens who made unimaginable sacrifice during the course of Great War. Let's not seek political meaning in this celebration that is deeply patriotic and serves public interests through its larger message of peace and freedom.

Niranjan Sahoo is Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.