NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force will showcase a new flying formation named Sindoor during the 77th Republic Day celebrations on Monday. The formation will comprise all fighter jets that participated in the May operations launched to destroy terrorist infra in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The “Operation Sindoor” formation will demonstrate air power and precision, embodying the IAF theme, “Achook, Abhedya va Sateek”. The flypast is being planned as a visual tribute to the mission’s success. Ahead of the Republic Day parade 2026, Wing Commander Rajesh Deshwal said,
“In this Republic Day parade, you will see a glimpse of Operation Sindoor, which we are dedicating to our formations for their success. These three formations are the Garuda, Prahaar, and Sindoor formations... In this flypast, we have 29 aircraft. In breakdown, we have 16 fighter aircraft, 4 transport aircraft, and 9 Helicopters...”
The platforms will display multiple formations, including Sindoor, Dhwaj, Prahar, Garud, Arjan, Varuna, and Vajrang. The flypast will also carry the flag of Operation Sindoor to commemorate India’s high-precision tri-services military campaign against Pakistan conducted from May 7 to 10, officials said.
Other platforms featured in the flypast include Advanced Light Helicopters, Apache attack helicopters, the Indian Navy’s P8I maritime surveillance aircraft, Mi-17 helicopters, and transport aircraft.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, carrying out air strikes on terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. Pakistan’s military attempted retaliatory strikes, leading to four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding to stop military action on the evening of May 10.
This year, the Indian Air Force is the lead service for all ceremonial events related to Republic Day. The parade will display military might through elite marching contingents, missiles, and indigenous weapon systems. President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will attend as chief guests.
Thirty tableaux, including 17 from States and Union Territories and 13 from Ministries, Departments, and Services, will roll down Kartavya Path on January 26, 2026. With themes ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Atma Nirbhar Bharat’, the tableaux will mark 150 years of Vande Mataram and highlight national progress and cultural diversity.
Defence Secretary R K Singh earlier said the celebrations would see “many firsts this time”. He said, “This new format seeks to make the parade-watching more engaging for spectators. The aerial component will also be shown in battle array formation.”
Parade to mark the debut of Bhairav battalion
Other platforms featured in the flypast include Advanced Light Helicopters, Apache attack helicopters, the Indian Navy’s P8I maritime surveillance aircraft, Mi-17 helicopters, and transport aircraft. The parade will feature BrahMos, Akash systems, drones, helicopters, marching contingents, and the debut of the Bhairav battalion.