Need structured war history of Indian soldiers: Jaitley

There is a need to have a structured war history of Indian soldiers in both digital and book form, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said Thursday.

The government will support all efforts by the armed forces in this direction, he said.

Speaking at the First World War centenary commemoration organised by the British High Commission here, Jaitley said there was a lot of recorded history of recent wars fought by India and it should put up collectively.

"There is a need to have in a book form as also in digital form a structured war history of Indian soldiers," he said.

He said more than a million soldiers from India fought overseas in World War I (1914-18) and over 60,000 were killed and almost an equal number injured.

He said the event was a fitting tribute to the memory of Indian soldiers who had fought in World War I.

Jaitley paid tributes to all those who fought in the war.

British Secretary of State for Defence Michael Fallon said Indian soldiers distinguished themselves in every theatre of World War I.

"They earned over 9,000 decorations, including six Victoria Crosses," he said, and added that every soldier was a volunteer and there was no conscription.

"Those who signed up, British or Indian, believed in essential values which hold true today," he said.

He said such heroism should be recognised, such stories told, and their contribution to "joint history" should not be forgotten.