 "Indonesian soldiers march during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi, January 26, 2025. Reuters")
India’s Republic Day parade recorded many firsts. This year’s R-Day is highly significant as it marks 75 years since the Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950. To mark the occasion, India celebrated its 76th Republic Day with a ceremonial parade in New Delhi’s Kartavya Path today (January 26), with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attending as the chief guest.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers, the country’s top military brass and other senior officials were also among the prominent people who witnessed the parade at Kartavya Path. From displaying military strength through new weapons to inviting special guests, this year’s R-Day parade featured many historic firsts.
Let’s take a closer look.
Military might: The many firsts
The short-range quasi-ballistic missile ‘Pralay’ was displayed at the Republic Day parade for the first time. The India-made weapon system can reportedly strike different types of targets using various warheads.
Pralay, a surface-to-surface missile, has a range of approximately 400 km and a payload capacity of 500 to 1,000 kg.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the tactical missile, which will be used by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF), is likely to be deployed at the Line of Control (LoC) as well as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), as per The Hindu.
India also showcased its military prowess by displaying the Army’s Battle Surveillance System ‘Sanjay’. This indigenous automated system, developed at a cost of Rs 2,402 crore, integrates inputs from all ground and aerial battlefield sensors, processes them to confirm their accuracy, prevents duplication and fuses them to create a common surveillance picture of the battlefield over secured Army data network and satellite communication network, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
The Indian Navy used its tableau to exhibit its three newly commissioned frontline combatants – warships INS Surat and INS Nilgiri, and submarine INS Vaghsheer.
Tri-services tableau
For the first time, a Tri-services tableau rolled down the Kartavya Path on Republic Day. Depicting the theme of Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat, the tableau displayed the “spirit of jointness and integration” and a “Joint Operations Room facilitating networking and communication among the three Services,” according to an official statement.
It showcased a battlefield scenario, demonstrating a synchronised operation in land, water and air with the indigenous Arjun main battle tank, Tejas MKII fighter aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter, destroyer INS Visakhapatnam and a remotely-piloted aircraft, as per PTI.
The tableau reflected the growing synergy among India’s armed forces – Army, Navy and Air Force.
Indonesia marching contingent and band
In a first, a contingent from Indonesia marched on the Kartavya Path during India’s Republic Day celebrations. This was also the first time an Indonesian military band and a military contingent took part in a parade abroad.
Dressed in honour guard uniforms, a 152-member marching contingent from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) marched in unison. Comprising personnel from all three branches of the armed forces, the contingent represented the spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), reflecting Indonesia’s diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds that blend into one solid entity to preserve the country’s integrity.
The Genderang Suling Canka Lokananta, a 190-member ensemble band from the Indonesian Military Academy (Akmil), also mesmerised the spectators of the R-Day parade with their harmonious melodies and synchronised movements.
Other firsts
Captain Ashish Rana, along with Captain Dimple Singh Bhati, led the Motorcycle Rider Display Team – daredevils contingent – of the Corps of Signals.
A group of soldiers performed an opening salute with Bullet Wheelie for the first time on Kartavya Path as part of the Republic Day parade.
Captain Bhati scripted history by becoming the first woman officer of the Indian Army to give a salute to President Droupadi Murmu on a 12-foot ladder mounted on a moving motorcycle.
A father-son duo were also part of the R-Day parade. Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar commanded the Republic Day Parade while his son, Lieutenant Ahaan Kumar, led the contingent of the iconic 61 Cavalry.
Mounted on his charger ‘Ranveer’, a Hanoverian breed, the 25-year-old officer helmed the contingent of the horse cavalry.
Around 200 artists performed ‘Sinhtoo’, the ancient folk dance of Himachal Pradesh’s Hatti community that lives in the Sirmaur district, for the first time at the Republic Day parade. It was a part of the mega cultural event Jayati Jaya Mamah Bhartam.
This year’s R-Day parade also had some special attendees. Raman Rajamannan, the ‘king’ of Kerala’s Mannan community — a tribal clan living in 48 settlements in the Idukki district, marked his presence at the event, along with his wife Binumol. He is the first tribal king to attend the Republic Day parade in Delhi.
In another first, a Bagh Mitra (tiger friend) from the Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh — Atul Singh — was among those invited by the Central government to watch the parade in Delhi.
With inputs from agencies