New Delhi: India ushered in its 77th Republic Day on Monday with a grand display of its cultural heritage, economic growth and military might that included warplanes, indigenously-built missiles, newly-raised units and lethal weapons used during Operation Sindoor.
President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen graced the celebrations as chief guests, marking a significant diplomatic moment alongside the military display.
The annual military parade reflected India’s strategic autonomy and diverse sourcing of its defence hardware with Russian-origin platforms showcased alongside US-manufactured ones.
Although the overarching theme of the event was 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, the Indian military’s Operation Sindoor too found prominence at the parade on the Kartavya Path, the centrepiece boulevard of the national capital.
The parade commenced with the President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute shortly after she, Costa and von der Leyen, flanked by the Indian president’s bodyguards, arrived at the Kartavya Path in a traditional buggy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, several other Union ministers, the country’s top military brass, foreign diplomats and senior officials were among the spectators.
“The Republic Day parade showcased India’s formidable security apparatus, reflecting the nation’s preparedness, technological capability and unwavering commitment to safeguarding its citizens,” Modi said on social media after the ceremony.
The major weapon systems displayed at the parade included BrahMos supersonic missiles and Akash weapon systems, ‘Suryastra’ universal rocket launcher system, Main Battle Tank Arjun, Dhanush artillery guns and Divyastra battery.
Before the commencement of the parade, President Murmu conferred India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, Ashoka Chakra, to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who created history by becoming the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS) in June last year.
Around 100 artistes heralded the parade on the theme ‘Vividata Mein Ekta (Unity in Diversity)’ that featured a grand presentation of musical instruments, demonstrating the nation’s unity and rich cultural diversity.
The parade was led by Parade Commander Lt General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, a second-generation officer.
A tri-services tableau showcasing replicas of major weapon systems deployed by the Indian military during Operation Sindoor in early May was a major attraction.
A glass-cased integrated operational centre, depicting the conduct of Operation Sindoor with the use of weapons systems such as BrahMos and S-400 missiles, rolled down the Kartavya Path. While the BrahMos missile had struck deadly blows to the enemy, the Akash missile systems and S-400 had provided a protective shield during the May 7-10 conflict with Pakistan.
For the first time, the parade showcased a phased ‘Battle Array Format’ of the Indian Army, including its aerial component. The recce element consisted of the 61 Cavalry in active combat uniform.
It was followed by a high mobility reconnaissance vehicle. Providing aerial support was the indigenous Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter and its armed version, Rudra, in Prahar formation, demonstrating battlefield shaping.
The combat elements were followed by T-90 Bhisma and Main Battle Tank Arjun rolling past the saluting dais with aerial support from Apache AH-64E and Prachand Light Combat Helicopter.
Other mechanised columns included BMP-II Infantry Combat Vehicle, along with Nag missile system (Tracked) Mk-2.
A detachment of Special Forces followed, comprising Ajayketu all-terrain vehicle, Randhwaj rugged terrain tactical transport system and Dhawansak light strike vehicles.
Following them were Robotic dogs, unmanned ground vehicles and four autonomous unmanned ground vehicles.
The combat support element consisted of India’s new generation unmanned warhead arsenal showcased through Shaktibaan and Divyastra mounted on specialised high-mobility vehicles.
The contingent of newly-raised Bhairav battalion also drew attention at the parade. The battalion is a specialised assault infantry unit that is aimed at bridging the capabilities of conventional infantry and special forces.
A military contingent from the EU, carrying the military staff flag and flags of Operations Atalanta and Aspides, the naval operations of the grouping, also featured at the parade. It was the EU’s first participation in such an event outside of Europe.
The Indian Navy contingent comprised 144 young personnel, led by Lt Karan Nagyal as contingent commander, and Lt Pawan Kumar Gandi, Lt Priti Kumari and Lt Varun Dreveriya as platoon commanders.
It was followed by the Naval tableau that presented a vivid depiction of the theme ‘Strong Navy for a Strong Nation’. It depicted a stitched ship from the fifth century CE, now christened INSV Kaundinya, Gurab-class ships of the Maratha Navy and frontline indigenous platforms, including aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and INS Udayagiri.
The tableau featured a depiction of the circumnavigation route followed by INSV Tarini as part of the Navika Sagar Parikrama-II expedition.
In addition to naval personnel, young cadets from the Sea Cadets Corps, a non-governmental organisation that imparts basic nautical skills to youths in Mumbai, marched alongside the tableau.
The Indian Air Force contingent comprised four officers and 144 airmen. The contingent commander was Squadron Leader Jagdesh Kumar with Squadron Leader Nikita Choudhery, Flt Lt Prakhar Chandrakar and Flt Lt Dinesh as supernumerary officers.
Syncing with the marching contingent was a thrilling fly-past by two Rafale jets, two MiG-29s, two Su-30s and one Jaguar aircraft in ‘Spearhead’ formation, symbolising the “Sindoor Formation”.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) showcased its hypersonic glide missile LR-AShM. It is capable of engaging static and moving targets and is designed to carry various payloads.
The missile has a first-of-its-kind indigenous avionics system and high-accuracy sensor packages.
A total of 30 tableaux — 17 of states and Union Territories and 13 of various ministries and departments — rolled down the Kartavya Path. The tableaux showcased a unique mix of 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram and the nation’s rapid progress.
A joint ‘DareDevils’ team of motorcycle riders drawn from the Central Reserve Police Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal enthralled the audience with their manoeuvres.
The aerial fly-past, one of the most eagerly-awaited events of the parade, witnessed the participation of a total of 29 aircraft, including 16 fighter jets, four transport aircraft and nine helicopters.
These include Rafale, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft, complemented by strategic assets – C-130 and C-295, as well as the Indian Navy’s P-8i aircraft. The formations include Arjan, Vajraang, Varuna and Vijay.
Approximately 10,000 special guests from different walks of life were invited to witness the parade.
This year, the enclosures for the parade were named after the rivers flowing across the nation — Beas, Brahmaputra, Chambal, Chenab, Gandak, Ganga, Ghagra, Godavari, Sindhu, Jhelum, Kaveri, Kosi, Krishna, Mahanadi, Narmada, Pennar, Periyar, Ravi, Sone, Sutlej, Teesta, Vaigai and Yamuna.
