NEW DELHI, 22 Jan: This year’s Republic Day parade will have 16 marching contingents, 17 military bands and 25 tableaux of various states, departments and armed forces, the Indian Army said in a statement on Saturday.
The army will be represented by a mounted column of cavalry, 14 mechanized columns, six marching contingents and a flypast by advanced light helicopters of its aviation wing at the Republic Day parade, it said.
The mechanized columns of the army will show one PT-76 tank, one Centurion tank, two MBT Arjun MK-I tanks, one APC TOPAS armoured personnel carrier, one BMP-I infantry fighting vehicle and two BMP-II infantry fighting vehicles, it stated.
One 75/24 Pack howitzer, two Dhanush howitzers, one PMS bridge-laying system, two Sarvatra bridge-laying systems, one HT-16 electronic warfare system, two Taran Shakti electronic warfare systems, one Tiger Cat missile system and two Akash missile systems will also be part of the mechanized columns.
The six marching contingents of the Indian Army will be of the Rajput Regiment, the Assam Regiment, the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, the Sikh Light Infantry, the Army Ordnance Corps Regiment and the Parachute Regiment, according to the statement.
One marching contingent each of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy will also participate in the parade, the statement said.
From the central paramilitary forces, five marching contingents of the Central Reserve Police Force, the Central Industrial Police Force, the Sashastra Seema Bal, the Indian Coast Guard and the Border Security Force will participate in the parade, it stated.
Overall, there will be 16 marching contingents from the armed forces, central paramilitary forces, the Delhi Police, the National Cadet Corps and the National Service Scheme, along with 17 military bands, pipes and drum bands at the parade, it noted.
Two Param Vir Chakra and one Ashok Chakra awardees will also participate in this year’s parade.
Before the commencement of the parade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the nation in paying homage to the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial, the statement said.
The parade will begin at 10:30 am and end at 12 noon, it said.
Twenty-five tableaux of various states, departments and armed forces will be part of the parade, it said.
Two teams – one male team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and one female team of the Border Security Force – will do the motorcycle display.
Delhi Area General Officer Commanding Lt Gen Vijay Kumar Mishra will be the parade commander and Delhi Area Chief of Staff Maj Gen Alok Kacker will be the second-in-command of the parade, the statement said.
The parade will march from Vijay Chowk to the National Stadium through the traditional route of Rajpath, it said. (PTI)