Republic Day highlights: India showcases military might, cultural richness in grand parade

Grand Republic Day celebrations come to an end, national anthem played at the parade ground

LCA aircraft Tejas flew in ‘Vic’ formation followed by five Jaguars in Arrowhead formation. Five MiG-29 Upgrade Air Superiority Fighters flew in Fulcrum style, ‘Trishul’ formation by three Su-30 MKIs and, the Su-30 MKI split upwards, making a Trishul in the sky. The flypast concluded with another Su-30 MKI carrying out a ‘Vertical Charlie’ manoeuvre over the saluting dais.

Spectacular flypast by the IAF commences with the ‘Rudra’ formation comprising three ALH Mk IV WSI helicopters in ‘Vic’ formation, followed by the ‘Hercules’ formation comprising three C-130J Super Hercules aircraft in ‘Vic’ formation. Trailing them was the ‘Netra’ which is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System Aircraft also known as “Eye in the Sky”, followed by the ‘Globe formation’ comprising one C-17 Globemaster flanked by two Su-30 MKIs.

Women daredevils on bike take the spotlight at the parade

The main attraction of the spectacle, the women’s Motor Cycle team ‘Seema Bhawani’ of Border Security Force at the for the first time at the parade

 

 

Dr.Manmohan Singh and wife Gursharan Kaur, HD Deve Gowda, HM Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Smriti Irani at the #RepublicDay parade pic.twitter.com/Gro59bAuOW

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018

When #Nirbhay missile is there, have no fear: a presentation by @DRDO_India #RepublicDay pic.twitter.com/PZs0QLAFeX

— PIB India (@PIB_India) January 26, 2018

150-odd students celebrate the spirit of ASEAN with their dance on the theme One Vision One Identity and One Community

Tableau of Ministry of Youth Affairs and sports

Eighteen children, including seven girls selected for the National Bravery Award 2017 at the parade. Three children have got the award posthumously.

Tableau of Assam

Tableau of Manipur

Tableau of Gujarat

Tableau of Punjab

Tableau of Chhattisgarh

Tableau of Kerala 

Tableau of Laskshwadeep

Tableau of Maharashtra

Tableau of Jammu and Kashmir

Tableau of Tripura

Tableau of Madhya Pradesh displayed at the parade

Tableau of Karnataka displayed at the parade

For the first time, All India Radio showcased its tableau at the parade. It depicted a historic event when Mahatma Gandhi made his maiden and only broadcast through AIR in the wake of post Partition communal riots.

166 members of the NSS contingent led by Commander Anupriya

Camel Contingents marching in at the parade. The BSF camel contingent atop "Ships of the Desert" troops in. The Camel mounted band of the BSF, the only one of its kind in the world, is playing "Ham Hai Seema Suraksha Bal

 

Indian Air Force Tableau rolls down the Rajpath with the theme “Indian Air Force Encouraging Indigenisation”.

 

Dogra Regiment with its motto: Kartavyam Anvatma marches on. Its war cry: Jwala Mata ki Jai

The first marching contingent is The Punjab Regiment, the second highest decorated regiment of the Indian Army. Their motto "By Land or Sea", and War Cry "Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal"

Infantry Combat Vehicle Ballway Machine Pikate-II of 12 Guards rolls in followed by the famed Brahmos Missile System of 881 Missile Regiment, the only super sonic cruise missile in the world. 

The marching contingents started with flag bearer contingent bearing the ASEAN and 10 ASEAN countries’ flags followed by the Indian Army Band drawn from 39 Gorkha Training Centre and 1 EME Centre.

 

Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major & Honorary Captain Bana Singh (Retd), Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers and Naib Subedar Sanjay Kumar, 13 JAK Rifles and Ashok Chakra winners Major General Cyrus A Pithawalla (Retd), Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (Retd), Lt Colonel D Sreeram Kumar, Naib Subedar (Honorary) Chhering Mutup (Retd) and Shri Govind Singh of district Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh & Shri Bhure Lal of district Guna also from Madhya Pradesh follow the Deputy Parade Commander on Jeeps.

The parade is being commanded by Lt. General Asit Mistry, General Officer Commanding, Headquarters Delhi Area. Major General Rajpal Punia, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Delhi Area is the parade Second-in-Command.

 

AshokaChakra awarded to Late Air Force Commando JP Nirala, who lost his life in Bandipora encounter. President Kovind presents award to JP Nirala's mother and wife.

#AshokaChakra awarded to Late Air Force Commando JP Nirala, who lost his life in Bandipora encounter. President Kovind presents award to JP Nirala's mother and wife. #RepublicDay pic.twitter.com/S6E7pJysdP

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018

President Kovind unfurls the National Flag, followed by the national anthem that was played with a 21 gun salute. 

President Ram Nath Kovind arrives at the parade ground, PM Modi escorts him to the stage

President's wife, the First Lady arrives at the parade ground.

10 ASEAN leaders who the chief guests at this year's Republic Day Parade are :-

Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Dr Thongloun Sisoulith;

Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc;

the State Counsellor of Myanmar, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK);

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, General Prayut Chan-o-cha;

Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato', Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak;

Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong;

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen;  

President of the Republic of the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte;

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo;

Prime Minister of Brunei, Darussalam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah.

All 10 ASEAN leaders arrive at the parade ground, President of India to arrive next

All 10 ASEAN leaders who are the chief guests at this year's parade arrive, PM Modi greets the guests.

President of India Ram Nath Kovind is arriving, escorted by 46 Bodyguards on Bay and Dark Bay coloured mounts. Raised in 1773, the President's Bodyguard is the oldest and seniormost Regiment of the Indian Army. 

PM Modi reaches parade ground in Delhi

PM Narendra Modi honours bravehearts at Amar Jawan Jyoti, observes two minute silence for the martyrs. The eternal flame burns to commemorate the indomitable courage of our Armed Forces who made the supreme sacrifice for the motherland.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches Amar Jawan Jyoti with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to pay respect to martyrs.

69th #RepublicDay of India celebrated in Japan today. @IndianEmbTokyo organised a Flag Hoisting Programme at the Chancery premises. Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy unfurled the national flag which was followed by the singing of the National Anthem. pic.twitter.com/I1VGC85JKH

— Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) January 26, 2018

Assam: Governor Jagdish Mukhi unfurls National Flag at ##RepublicDay celebrations in Guwahati. pic.twitter.com/a0TY8HSSo6

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018

Home Minister Rajnath Singh unfurls tricolour at his residence in Delhi #RepublicDay pic.twitter.com/X6nOS4Rhet

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018

Bihar: #RepublicDay parade visuals from Patna's Gandhi Maidan. pic.twitter.com/54W8aqOGZk

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018

Proud of Indian Democracy, Unity, rich Culture and Heritage. #HappyRepublicDay . My SandArt Bhubaneswar. pic.twitter.com/LX0DaTJnK4

— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) January 26, 2018

BJP Chief Amit Shah unfurls the tricolour at BJP headquarter in Delhi

BJP Chief Amit Shah unfurls tricolour at party HQ in Delhi #RepublicDay pic.twitter.com/NMqJsNMZmy

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018

Warm wishes & greetings on India's 69th #RepublicDay. pic.twitter.com/SUmQfgau2I

— Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) January 26, 2018

There will be a many 'firsts' at this year's Republic Day celebrations. Here are some of them.

Kerala: Visuals of #RepublicDay parade from Thiruvananthapuram. pic.twitter.com/HpsBtXUdYT

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018

As a precautionary measure on Republic Day, mobile internet services have been snapped in Kashmir. It's a normal practice in Kashmir to suspend the internet services on the Republic Day and Independence Day, this is the first time that these services were withdrawn a day earlier.

Celebrations have begun across the country. Here are some images from Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu: Visuals of #RepublicDay parade from Chennai pic.twitter.com/HUKWXS2cY2

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018

Your sneak-peek preview into tableaux and other celebrations, pictures here

At this Republic Day, who are the chief guests and why are there more than one? Read to know

The Navy will showcase Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant, which will be commissioned in 2020 and the Defence Development and Research Organisation will exhibit the 'Nirbhay' missile and the Ashwini radar system. Three T-90 tanks, two BRAHMOS missiles, two AKASH missiles will also be part of the mechanised columns at the parade.

A camel contingent of the BSF and columns of the 61st cavalry with 51 horses will be part of the parade.

There will also be a flypast by MI-17 and RUDRA armed helicopters along with a number of IAF aircraft. Five Mi-17 V5 helicopters of the Indian Air Force, showering petals and carrying the national flag, ASEAN flag and services flags, would precede parade commander Lt Gen Asit Mistry. 

For the first time during the parade, a motorcycle contingent of women personnel of the BSF will showcase their skills, where supreme commander of the Indian armed forces President Ram Nath Kovind will take the salute.

For the first time, All India Radio will showcase its tableau during the Republic Day parade, depicting a historic event when Mahatma Gandhi made his maiden and only broadcast through AIR in the wake of post Partition communal riots. Prime Minister's monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' will also feature in the tableau.

We recall the ideals embodied in our #Constitution of JUSTICE, LIBERTY, EQUALITY and FRATERNITY for all citizens and wish you a very Happy #RepublicDay pic.twitter.com/Ksyw3Y1Skx

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 26, 2018

#RepublicDay greetings to Indians across the world. On this day, let us take pride in the achievements of our Nation and reaffirm our commitment to contribute towards building a #NewIndia, a #PositiveIndia. pic.twitter.com/RIRyzDGTlE

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) January 26, 2018

Congress President Rahul Gandhi's message to the nation on the 69th Republic Day:

On the eve of our 69th Republic Day, I'm writing this #LettertotheNation, to remind ourselves of the commitments we made in our Constitution.

I wish each of you a very Happy Republic Day!

Jai Hind. pic.twitter.com/VaJ3WOeBqx

— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 25, 2018

समस्त देशवासियों को 69वें गणतंत्र दिवस की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं। pic.twitter.com/vKrWzJLSt8

— BJP (@BJP4India) January 26, 2018

There is a possibility that dense fog and low visibility in Delhi may dampen the grand Republic Day jubilation on Thursday. A flypast by the Indian Air Force fighter jets is one of the key attractions of the parade. 

No commercial flights will land or take off at the Indira Gandhi International Airport from 10.35 AM to 12.15 PM today. 

There are additional number of zones that have been created along the parade route and these will be monitored by a deputy commissioner of police-rank officer.

The traffic police has also deployed over 1,500 personnel to manage route diversions and ensure safe and secure passage for the visiting dignitaries. Patrolling in public places has been intensified and checking and frisking in metro, railway stations and bus terminals tightened.

 

India is hosting 10 heads of Asean countries as chief guests at its 69th Republic Day celebrations. Nearly 60,000 security personnel drawn from the Delhi Police and central security forces have been deployed in Central Delhi. The police are also using counter-drone technology to thwart any attack or identify any suspicious flying object. 

Narendra Modi wishes the nation on the 69th Republic Day.

सभी देशवासियों को गणतंत्र दिवस की बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं। Greetings on #RepublicDay. Jai Hind!

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2018

More visuals from area near Rashtrapati Bhavan on #RepublicDay eve. pic.twitter.com/weB2Jt4RQv

— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018

Rashtrapati Bhavan lit up on the eve of #RepublicDay pic.twitter.com/YrnwextwkT

— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018