NEW DELHI: India’s spirit of self-dependence in the military and its women power stood out during the Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path here on Thursday. Women officers led or participated in several marching contingents while Supreme Commander President Droupadi Murmu hosted her Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who was the chief guest for the event.
A combined band and marching contingent of the Egyptian armed forces also took part in the parade that started around 10.30 am and ended close to noon after a fly-past. The Egyptian contingent was led by Col Mahmoud Mohamed Abdelfattah Elkharasawy.
The unfurling of the Tricolour followed by the national anthem was accompaned by a 21-gun salute using 105-mm Indian field guns. The indigenous guns replaced the vintage 25-pounders, reflecting the growing aatmanirbharta in defence.
Military assets on display were mostly made in India, which included the main battle tank Arjun, the Nag Missile System (NAMIS) and the K-9 Vajra, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, Akash air defence missiles and Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicles.
The Akash weapon system had Lt Chetana Sharma at the forefront. The Indian Air Force contingent comprising 144 air warriors and four officers, was led by Sqn Ldr Sindhu Reddy. The air force tableau, designed on the theme ‘Indian Air Force Power Beyond Boundaries’, displayed a rotating globe highlighting IAF’s expanded reach, whereby it has been able to provide humanitarian assistance across borders, as also exercises conducted with friendly countries.
Lt Commander Disha Amrith, posted at a strategic base, led the Navy’s contingent of sailors, which included three women, and six Agniveers, who are undergoing training as part of the first batch inducted under the new armed forces recruitment scheme.
The ceremony commenced with Prime Minister Modi visiting the National War Memorial and paying tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. The parade ended with a fly-past by 45 aircraft of the Indian Air Force, one from the Indian Navy and four helicopters of the Indian Army. A total of 23 tableaux 17 from states and Union territories and six from various ministries and departments took part with Nari Shakti being the theme of most of them.
PVC awardees
Three Param Vir Chakra awardees and three Ashok Chakra awardees also took part in the parade, which also had a veterans’ tableau. A group of Shramyogis involved in the construction of the Central Vista, the Kartavya Path and the new Parliament were specially invited for the parade