India’smilitarymight, cultural heritage displayed at Rajpath
IN A FIRST Thousands watch UAE soldiers, NSG commandos march in parade; 60,000 security personnel deployed
NEW DELHI: India showcased its military might and cultural heritage in a spectacular Republic Day parade on Thursday, adding a few firsts to the event witnessed by thousands of people lining up the ceremonial boulevard, the Rajpath.
The elite Black Cat commandoes and the made-in-India Tejas combat aircraft made their Republic Day debut. Commandoes of United Arab Emirates (UAE) also joined Indian military contingents in the dazzling march past witnessed by Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He was the chief guest of the event.
Since last year, the chief guest’s country also participates in the parade. In 2016, a contingent from the French force had marched on Rajpath.
While the display of India’s military might was at its best with missiles, choppers, fighter jets, the pet schemes of the Narendra Modi government were also showcased, signaling the direction of the country’s development.
For the first time, the government’s skill development programmes were showcased and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was the theme of the tableau of the Central Board of Excise and Customs.
While Rajiv Pratap Rudy is the skill development minister his brother, Sudhir Pratap Singh, is the NSG director general. It was a special celebration for both brothers as their departments made their debut in the parade on the same day.
While President Pranab Mukherjee took the salute, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sat with Mohamed bin Zayed Al throughout the ceremony and they were seen sharing several light moments. After the parade was over, Modi walked around to greet the people gathered at Rajpath since morning.
The large crowd, which braved loud drizzle and chilly conditions, cheered loudly as the contingent of the National Security Guard (NSG), popularly known as the Black Cat Commandos for their dress, trotted down the Rajpath.
The parade also saw the flypast of three Tejas at a height of 300 metres in a ‘Vic’ formation and the Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) developed by the DRDO.
Vice president Hamid Ansari, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and the country’s top political and military brass, besides the diplomatic community, were also there to watch the parade.
Tableaux from 17 states and union territories and six central ministries and departments showcased the varied historical, art and cultural heritage of the country.
Twenty-one of the 25 children who won the National Bravery Award also participated in the parade. Four children received the award posthumously.
The grand finale of the parade was a spectacular flypast by the Indian Air Force.
The marching contingents of Army included horse-mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, the Mechanised Infantry Regiment, the Bihar Regiment, the 39 Gorkha Training Centre, 58 Gorkha Training Centre, the Madras Engineering Group and Centre and 103 Infantry Battalion. The BSF jawans came riding their camels, showcasing the world’s only camel-mounted security force,
The Navy contingent comprised 144 young sailors and it was led by Lieutenant Aparna Nair.
In the children’s pageant section, about 600 boys and girls from three schools in Delhi and a group of schoolchildren from South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur, performed colourful dances on varied themes.
A massive ground-to-air security apparatus was put in place in the national capital turning the city into virtually an impregnable fortress. NSG snipers were deployed at all high-rises along the parade route. People had to walk a few kilometers and face rains to witness the programme.
As part of the multi-layered security, around 60,000 security personnel were deployed across the city.