India showcases military might, cultural diversity at 76th Republic Day parade

With a special focus on 75 years of enactment of the Constitution and Jan Bhagidari, this year's celebrations blend India’s rich cultural diversity, unity, equality, development, and military prowess.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is the Chief Guest for the Republic Day celebrations this year.

Around 10,000 guests are witnessing the 90-minute parade, which is in line with the government’s objective to increase ‘Jan Bhagidari’ in events of national importance.

These special guests from different walks of life are the architects of ‘Swarnim Bharat’. They include the best performers in various fields and those who have made the best use of the schemes of the government.

The parade

The Republic Day parade commenced with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the National War Memorial, where he led the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath.

The arrival of President Murmu and her Indonesian counterpart was escorted by her bodyguard, the seniormost regiment of the Indian Army.

The two presidents arrived in the ‘Traditional Buggy’, the practice which made a comeback in 2024 after a gap of 40 years.

As per tradition, the national flag was unfurled followed by the National Anthem with a thunderous 21-gun salute using 105-mm Light Field Guns, an indigenous weapon system.

The parade is heralded by 300 cultural artists playing ‘Sare Jahan Se Achha’ with musical instruments from different parts of the country.

Showering of flower petals was carried out by Mi-17 1V helicopters from the 129 Helicopter Unit in the Dhwaj Formation. Trooping the National Flag, this formation of helicopters was led by Group Captain Alok Ahlawat.

The first Army contingent was led by the Mounted Column and had 61 Cavalry, led by Lt Ahaan Kumar. Raised in 1953, the 61 Cavalry is the only serving active Horsed Cavalry Regiment in the world, with the amalgamation of all the ‘State Horsed Cavalry Units’. It was followed by nine Mechanised Columns and nine marching contingents.

For the first time, a tri-services tableau rolled down on Kartavya Path, displaying the spirit of jointness and integration. With the theme ‘Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat’, the tableau depicted a Joint Operations Room facilitating networking and communication among the three services.

Another highlight was the Veterans’ Tableau on the theme ‘Viksit Bharat ki Ore Sadaiv Agrasar’, a heartfelt tribute to the unwavering spirit of the veterans, who are the symbols of discipline, resilience, and unyielding dedication.

The Indian Navy contingent consisted of 144 personnel, led by Lt Cdr Sahil Ahluwalia as Contingent Commander and Lt Cdr Indresh Choudhary, Lt Cdr Kajal Anil Bharani & Lt Devender as Platoon Commanders. It was followed by the Naval Tableau, depicting a strong ‘Aatmanirbhar’ Navy capable of protecting India’s maritime interests.

The tableau showcased the newly-commissioned indigenous frontline state-of-the-art combatants including the Destroyer INS Surat, Frigate INS Nilgiri, and Submarine INS Vaghsheer, highlighting India’s rapid progress in indigenous warship design and construction and reinforcing Indian Navy’s commitment to building a robust and self-sufficient defence ecosystem.

The Indian Air Force contingent comprised four officers and 144 personnel, led by Sqn Ldr Mahender Singh Garati, with Flt Lt Nepo Moirangthem, Flt Lt Damini Deshmukh & Fg Offr Abhinav Gorsi being supernumerary officers. It was be followed by a fly-past by three MiG-29 aircraft in ‘Baaz Formation’.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) contingent was led by Deputy Commandant Navita Thakran followed by three officers of the guard - Deputy Commandant Sumit Kumar, Deputy Commandant Pankaj Saini and Assistant Commandant Priya Balurkar.

It was followed by a tableau of ICG focussing on coastal security and maritime search and rescue. The theme is ‘Swarnim Bharat: Heritage and Progress’.

Among the contingents marching down the Kartavya Path is a 148-member all-women marching contingent of the Central Reserve Police Force, led by Assistant Commandant Aishwarya Joy M. The marching contingent of Railway Protection Force was led by Divisional Security Commissioner Aditya.

The Assam Rifles contingent was led by Captain Karanveer Singh Kumbhavat of 29 Assam Rifles. It will comprise soldiers recruited from all over the country.

The Delhi Police march contingent was led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishi Kumar Singh.

The Delhi Police all-women band participated for the second time this year, led by Band Master Ruyangunuo Kense.

Tableaux from 16 State Government/Union Territories and 10 Ministries/Departments of the Central Government highlighting ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas’, are also participating in the parade this year.

These tableaux showcase India’s diverse strengths and its constantly evolving cultural inclusiveness marching into a glorious future.