{ OPERATION SINDOOR IMPRINT } Republic Day parade set to unfold in battle array format

The upcoming Republic Day parade on January 26 will unfold in a new phased battle array format to showcase the military's wide-ranging capabilities, with weapons and systems including infantry elements, tanks, artillery systems, missiles and air-power being displayed in a sequence that shows how they are used ina combat scenario, defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on Friday.

- Rahul Singh

CISF jawans rehearse ahead of R-Day parade, on Friday.

(PT)

The new format comes in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, the four-day military confrontation between India and Pakistan in early May following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.

‘The 77th Republic Day parade will also bear an imprint of the ongoing restructuring in the army ~~ Singh said the recently-raised Bhairav light commando units and Shaktibaan artillery elements spe-cialising in drone warfare will make their debut in the country’s biggest ceremonial event that will be witnessed by 77,000 people along Kartavya Path and watched by millions on television.

The attempt is to make the 90-minute parade more interesting for the viewers as the earlier parades were quite stereotyped, Singh said ata media briefing.