New Delhi, 21 June

From the icy heights of Siachen Glacier to naval ships anchored in Visakhapatnam, the Indian armed forces on Saturday observed the International Day of Yoga across the country, reaffirming their commitment to discipline and inner strength.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the celebrations in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, accompanied by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi.

"There was a time when yoga was considered limited to saints and seers. But today, people are performing Surya Namaskar on mats from New York’s Times Square to lawns near the Eiffel Tower. Is it less than a miracle?" Singh said.

This is the "rising soft power" of India, and yoga has become its "strongest ambassador", he added.

A senior Army official said Yoga Day was celebrated with great fervour and spirit across the country.

From the edges of Pangong Tso lake to Port Blair, and from Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh to the Rann of Kachchh, soldiers performed yoga, embracing the ancient Indian practice as a tool for physical, mental and emotional resilience, the official said.

The Army Chief’s presence at the Udhampur event underscored the importance of yoga in "enhancing combat readiness and stress management among troops," he said.

In Delhi, Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani performed yoga with troops and families at Cariappa Parade Ground, joined by more than 3,400 participants including defence attaches from 25 countries, NCC cadets and school students.

In Visakhapatnam, Indian Navy personnel participated in the main yoga day celebrations led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sessions were held along the RK Beach and onboard Navy ships anchored nearby.

"As the sun rose over the RK Beach, personnel and families of the Sunrise Command, along with the citizens of Andhra Pradesh, came together in breath and spirit with the Hon’ble PM... embracing the energy of the sea and sky," Eastern Naval Command posted on X.

A day earlier, a Navy spokesperson had said more than 11,000 naval personnel and family members from the Eastern Naval Command were expected to participate in the event.

The maritime lineup included frontline Eastern Fleet ships and Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessels - Veera and Vigraha - stationed at the Visakhapatnam anchorage off the RK Beach.

The Indian Coast Guard also held a 'Yoga Sangam' event at its Noida complex in collaboration with Yog Vandana Institute. Similar sessions were conducted at stations along India’s coast and island regions.

Indian Army personnel deployed on United Nations peacekeeping missions and with military training teams abroad also marked the occasion with yoga sessions.

Indian troops participating in the multilateral exercise 'Khaan Quest' in Mongolia and the bilateral exercise 'Shakti' in France conducted yoga with fellow international soldiers, reflecting India’s cultural outreach.

These widespread celebrations reflect the Indian Army’s belief in the motto 'Yoga Karmasu Kaushalam' (Yoga is excellence in action), and its resolve to incorporate yoga into the daily regimen of personnel.

The theme for this year’s International Day of Yoga is 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health'.