History, culture & military muscle converge on R-Day

Military prowess, cultural heritage, and diplomacy marked India's 77th Republic Day, with the customary parade featuring fighter jets, attack helicopters, tanks, missiles, rockets, a variety of unmanned systems, a musical extravaganza with a Bollywood touch and a cultural performance featuring 2,500 artistes from every corner of the country-all in front of an audience estimated at 77,000, including this year's chief guests European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief Antonio Costa.

- Rahul Singh

India and the EU are expected to make an important announcement on a major trade deal Tuesday. The parade has always been a celebration of military might and nationalism, and it was especially so this year given Operation Sindoor, India's attack, last May, on terror installations in Pakistan after a dastardly terror attack in Pahal-gam. The operation found prominence during the 90-minute programme parade on Kartavya Path, with a tri-services tableau themed on it and a special arrowhead formation during the flypast.

The cultural section of the parade was themed around the 150th anniversary of India's national song, Vande Mataram.

"The Republic Day parade showcased India's formidable security apparatus, reflecting the nation's preparedness, technological capability and unwavering commitment to safeguarding its citizens... The Republic Day parade celebrated India's cultural diversity, with vibrant performances and tableaux," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X.

Double-humped Bactrian camels and Zanskar ponies were also part of the ceremonial event for the first time, as were black kites (raptors) and five indigenous dog breeds. A total of 30 tableaux 17 of states and Union Territories and 13 of various ministries and departments - rolled down Kartavya Path, showcasing the legacy of Vande Mataram.

The celebrations began with Modi paying tribute to India's fallen heroes at the National War Memorial, a monument dedicated to soldiers who fell in postIndependence wars and operations.

The national flag was unfurled on the arrival of President Droupadi Murmu along with this year's chief guests, von der Leyen and Costa in a four wheeled carriage drawn by six horses. The ceremonial battery of the army's 172 Field Regiment sounded a 21-gun salute with the 105mm light field guns.