NEW DELHI: India marked its 76th Republic Day on Sunday with a parade at Kartavya Path in New Delhi, commemorating 75 years since the adoption of the Constitution on January 26, 1950.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video capturing the highlights of celebrations, showcasing the nation’s military strength, cultural diversity, and advancements across various sectors.
The video began by showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying tributes to the fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial.
The prime minister led the nation in paying solemn tributes by laying a wreath at the memorial, escorted by the Chief of Defence Staff and the three Service Chiefs.
Modi was received at the National War Memorial by defence minister Rajnath Singh.
The video further showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeting Indonesian President Prabawo.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was the chief guest. He became the fourth Indonesian leader to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations, following Sukarno, who was the chief guest at the first Republic Day in 1950. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force were among the dignitaries present.
The video shared by PM Modi then shows some highlights of the Republic Day Parade.
The parade featured 16 tableaux from states and Union Territories and 15 from central ministries, departments, and organizations under the theme “Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas.”
The event showcased advanced defense systems such as BrahMos, Pinaka, and Akash. It also included T-90 “Bhishma” tanks, BMP-II Sarath vehicles, the Nag Missile System, the multi-barrel rocket launcher “Agnibaan,” and the light specialist vehicle “Bajrang.” For the first time, the Army’s Battle Surveillance System “Sanjay” and the DRDO’s surface-to-surface tactical missile “Pralay” were part of the parade.
A tri-services tableau emphasizing “jointness” among the armed forces debuted this year. It depicted synchronized operations using the Arjun main battle tank, Tejas MKII fighter aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter, and INS Visakhapatnam.
President Droupadi Murmu and President Subianto arrived and departed in a traditional buggy, a practice revived last year after 40 years. Nearly 10,000 special guests, including Paralympic athletes, village heads, artisans, and conservation workers, were invited to witness the parade.
The flypast featured C-130J Super Hercules, C-295, C-17 Globemaster, P-8I, MiG-29, and Su-30 aircraft. The parade also included two Param Vir Chakra recipients, Subedar Major & Honorary Captain Yogendra Singh Yadav (retd) and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar (retd), along with Ashok Chakra awardee Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (retd).
A cultural performance titled “Jayati Jaya Mamah Bharatam” involved 5,000 artists performing 45 dance forms. NCC cadets and a combined band of the Corps participated, along with a motorcycle display by the Corps of Signals. A marching contingent and band from Indonesia also joined the parade, marking a first in Republic Day celebrations.