India displays its military might and cultural diversity during its 74th Republic Day parade | 10 points
India celebrated its 74th Republic Day on Thursday with a colourful procession at the newly christened Kartavya Path (formerly known as Rajpath) in New Delhi, exhibiting a perfect blend of its military power and vibrant cultural legacy.
The holiday commemorates the ratification of India’s constitution on January 26, 1950.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and her Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who was the chief guest for the Republic Day, joined citizens and members of the armed forces in commemorating the event, which had Nari Shakti (Women Empowerment) and Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) as its central themes.
Hundreds of individuals braved the January weather to observe the parade down the Kartavya Path on its way to the Red Fort.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid his respects to fallen warriors at New Delhi’s National War Memorial. PM Modi greeted the nation on the 74th Republic Day, saying, “We wish to move forward unitedly to realise the dreams of the country’s heroic liberation fighters.” Modi congratulated El-Sisi for participating in the festivities.
I am grateful to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for gracing this year’s Republic Day celebrations with his august presence.@AlsisiOfficial pic.twitter.com/S58TP4msSo
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2023
Here are the top ten events that occurred during the Republic Day celebrations:
🔴 A troop of women from the CRPF was one of the parade’s highlights for the first time. There were 35 female constables in several other marching contingents, including the Delhi Police’s pipe band. On adorned camels, for the first time, women camel riders participated in the BSF camel contingent.
🔴 The Naval contingent, led by a female officer, consisted of three women and six Agniveers, the first recruits of the new military recruitment programme. The parade’s colourful tableaus included a life-size statue of a decorated female soldier in ceremonial attire saluting. The tableau honoured all the valiant women troops serving their country.
🔴 Milk and vegetable vendors, street vendors, small grocery shops, rickshaw pullers, shramyogis of Central Vista with their families, and Kartavya Path maintenance employees were among the 45,000 people that attended the march on Kartavya Path. The festival highlighted the Jan Bhagidari (participation of the people) vision of Prime Minister Modi.
🔴 The Egyptian Armed Forces began the parade with a joint band and marching contingent. Col Mahmoud Mohamed Abdelfattah Elkharasawy commanded the Egyptian force of 144 troops who represented the various branches of the Egyptian Armed Forces.
🔴 President Droupadi Murmu was presented with a 21-gun salute by an indigenous 105-mm Indian Field Gun (IFG) in order to eradicate colonial remnants. Prior to reflecting the “aatmanirbharta” in defence, the usage of historic 25-pounder guns was eliminated. According to officials, the military assets exhibited during the parade included equipment manufactured in India. Also on display were the main battle tank Arjun, the Nag Missile System (NAMIS), and the K-9 Vajra.
A total of 23 tableaus depicting India’s cultural legacy, economic prosperity, and national security were created by 17 states and Union territories and six ministries.
🔴 The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) displayed a tableau and an apparatus. The DRDO’s motto was “Securing the Nation through Effective Surveillance, Communication, and Threat Neutralization.” The Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP), a modular 8X8 wheeled assault platform carried on a 70-ton trailer, was exhibited by the DRDO, according to the PTI.
🔴 The procession also featured cultural performances by 479 performers selected through the national “Vande Bharatam” dance competition. The dancers have been chosen in a nationwide competition for the second time.
🔴 Three Param Vir Chakra recipients and three Ashok Chakara recipients participated in the procession, and a “veterans’ tableau” with the subject “Towards India’s Amrit Kaal with Veterans’ Determination” was presented.
🔴 In the much-anticipated fly-past, the Indian Air Force displayed its vintage and contemporary aircraft, including Rafale fighters, Sukhois, Apaches, and Jaguars. Though overcast skies hindered observers on the ground at the Kartavya Path, IAF videos of the planes in flight demonstrate how the aircraft constructed these patterns in flight.
