List of military unit mottoes by country

Australia

Austria

Brazil

Canada

China, Republic of

Republic of China Armed Force

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

India

The mottoes of the Indian Armed Forces units come from Sanskrit, English, or a regional language the specific unit is closely affiliated with. Some however are laurels won on the field and are in the language of the enemy or the commander's praise.

Military Unit Motto Language Translation War Cry Translation
Indian Army "Service before self" English "Bharat Mata ki jai" "Victory to Mother India"
Indian Air Force "Nabha sparsham deeptam" Sanskrit "Touch the sky with glory"
Indian Navy "Sha-no Varuna" Sanskrit "May the Lord of the oceans be auspicious unto us"
Corps of Army Air Defence "Aakasey satrun jahi" Sanskrit "Win over the enemy in the sky"
Army Medical Corps "Sarve santu niramaya" Sanskrit "Freedom from sickness to all"
Regiment of Artillery "Sarvatra izzat o iqbal" Hindi/Urdu "Everywhere with honour and glory"
Brigade of The Guards "Pahla hamesha pahla" Hindi/Urdu "First, always first" "Garud ka hun bol pyare " "I am from the Guards, say O my friend"
Parachute Regiment "Shatrujeet" Hindi "The conqueror" "Sarvada shaktishali" "Ever powerful"
Mechanised Infantry Regiment "Valour and Faith" English "Bolo Bharat Mata ki jai" "Say Victory to Mother India"
Punjab Regiment "Sthal wa jal" Hindi "By land and sea" "Jo bole So Nihal, sat sri akal"; "Bol Jawala Ma ki jai" "He who cries 'God is truth' is ever happy"; "Say victory to Goddess Jawala"
Madras Regiment "Swadharme nidhanam shreyaha" Sanskrit "It is a glory to die doing one’s duty" "Veera Madrasi, adi kollu, adi kollu" "Brave Madrasi, hit and kill, hit and kill"
All Gorkha Rifles "Kayar hunu bhanda marnu ramro" Nepali "Better to die than live like a coward" "Jai Ma Kali, ayo Gorkhali" "Hail Goddess Kali, here come the Gorkhas"
Maratha Light Infantry "Duty, honour, courage" English "Bol Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki jai, Temlai Mata ki jai" "Say victory to Emperor Shivaji, victory to Goddess Temlai"
The Grenadiers "Sarvada shaktishali" Sanskrit "Ever powerful" "Sarvada Shaktishali" "Ever powerful"
Rajputana Rifles "Veer bhogya vasundhara" Sanskrit "The brave shall inherit the earth" "Raja Ramachandra ki jai" "Victory to King Ramachandra"
Rajput Regiment "Sarvatra vijay" Sanskrit "Victory everywhere" "Bol Bajrang Bali ki jai" "Say victory to Lord Hanuman"
Jat Regiment "Sangathan wa veerta" Hindi "Unity and valour" "Jat Balwan, jai bhagwan" "The Jat is strong, victory to God"
Sikh Regiment "Nischey kar apni jeet karon" Punjabi "With determination, I will be triumphant" "Jo bole So Nihal, sat sri akal" "He who cries 'God is truth' is ever happy"
Sikh Light Infantry "Deg teg fateh" Punjabi "Prosperity in peace and victory in war" "Jo bole So Nihal, sat sri akal" "He who cries 'God is truth' is ever happy"
Dogra Regiment "Kartavyam anvatma" Sanskrit "Duty before death" "Jawala Mata ki jai" "Victory to Goddess Jawala"
The Garhwal Rifles "Yudhaya krit nischya" Sanskrit "Fight With Determination" "Badri Vishal Lal ki jai" "Victory to the Great Lord Badri Nath"
Kumaon Regiment "Parakramo vijayate" Sanskrit "Valour triumphs" "Kalika Mata ki jai"; "Bajrang Bali ki jai"; "Dada Kishan ki jai" "Victory to Goddess Kali"; "Victory to Lord Hanuman"; "Victory to Dada Kishan"
Assam Regiment "Assam vikram" "Unique valour"
Bihar Regiment "Karam hi dharam" Hindi "Work is worship" "Jai Bajrang Bali" "Victory to Lord Hanuman"
Mahar Regiment "Yash sidhi" Sanskrit "Success and attainment" "Bolo Bharat Mata ki jai" "Say victory to Mother India"
Jammu & Kashmir Rifles "Prashata ranvirta" Sanskrit "Valour in battle is praiseworthy" "Durga Mata ki jai!" "Victory to Goddess Durga!"
Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry "Balidanam vir lakshanam" Sanskrit "Sacrifice is a characteristic of the brave" "Bharat Mata ki jai" "Victory to Mother India"
Ladakh Scouts "Ki ki so so Lhargyalo" "Victory to God"
Ordnance Corps "Shastra se shakti" Hindi "Strength through weapons"
The Corps of Signals "Teevra chaukas" Hindi "Swift and secure"
Corps of Engineers "Sarvatra" Sanskrit "Everywhere"
Border Security Force "Duty unto death" English
Indian Coast Guard "Vayam rakshamah" Sanskrit "We protect"

Indonesia

Many Indonesian Armed Forces' mottoes are taken from Sanskrit language and Old Javanese language, but there are also many mottoes taken from Indonesian.

Israel

Military Unit Mottos: Israel

Italy

Korea, South

Korean Army: Power in Unity

Lebanon

Malaysia

Malaysian Army: Gagah Setia (Strong and Loyal)

Royal Ranger Regiment: Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban (Whilst there is life,there is fight)

Note: The 1st,5th,6th,8th and 10th Rangers uses the same motto,which is Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban.

Rejimen Sempadan (Border Regiment): Setia Waspada (Loyal and Alert)

Rejimen Semboyan Diraja (Royal Signs Regiment): Pantas dan Pasti (Swift and Sure)

Kor Agama Angkatan Tentera (Religious Corps of the Armed Forces of Malaysia): Berjuang Berakhlak

Kor Armor DiRaja (Royal Armored Corps): Bersatu (United)

Kor Risik DiRaja (Royal Intelligence Corps): Pintar dan Cergas (Intelligent and Active)

Royal Malaysian Navy:Sedia Berkorban (Ready to Sacrifice)

Royal Malaysian Air Force: Sentiasa di Angkasa Raya (Always in the Skies)

Netherlands

Norway

New Zealand

Pakistan

"Be it the deserts, Be it the rivers, All are under my wings")

Philippines

Armed Forces of The Philippines

Portugal

Romania

Spain

Spanish Military: "Todo Por La Patria"

Sri Lanka

Military Unit Mottos: Sri Lanka

Switzerland

Sweden

Tunisia

Tunisian Armed Forces

United Kingdom

United States

Vietnam

Notes

  1. The phrase comes from Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War.
  2. Before the Battle of Plataea, Mardonius offered the Athenians peace terms, with the hope of dividing the Greek forces. The Athenians responded with "As long as the sun follows his course, as he does now, we shall not come to a compromise with Xerxes".
  3. The phrase was uttered by the Spartan King Leonidas I, just prior to the Battle of Thermopylae, as a response to the Persian King Xerxes I's demand for the surrender of the Spartans' arms.
  4. Spartan mothers would utter the phrase to their sons before they went to war, reminding them to return victorious with the shield, or be brought back dead upon it. Returning home without a shield meant the soldier deserted, since a hoplite could not escape the field of battle unless he tossed away the heavy and cumbersome shield.
  5. The phrase is the traditional battle cry of Greek infantrymen when attacking the enemy.
  6. The phrase a tribute to the Sacred Band that fought during World War II alongside the Special Air Service, which also shares the motto.
  7. The phrase is a reference to the Gordian Knot, a legendary knot tied to a pole near the temple of Zeus in Gordium. It was prophesied that whoever loosed the knot would become ruler of all Asia. Alexander the Great solved the puzzle by slicing through the knot.
  8. The phrase comes from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War.
  9. It is United States Army Special Forces tradition that this phrase is considered to mean "to liberate the oppressed". However, a literal translation would be "from (being) an oppressed man, (to being) a free one".

References

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