Special arrangements have been made at the historic Rajpath where President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, will be witnessing nation’s military might that will be on display.
Elaborate security arrangements are in place across the country for the Republic Day celebrations on Tuesday with police in the national capital and neighbouring states keeping an eye out on “drones”, which have been perceived as a major threat.
Special arrangements have been made at the historic Rajpath where President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, will be witnessing nation’s military might that will be on display.
French President Francois Hollande, who is the Chief Guest of this year’s Republic Day, will be seated along with Mukherjee and host of VVIPs including Vice President Hamind Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
State capitals and major cities across the country have seen security being beefed up at vulnerable places and key installations.
After a gap of 26 years, an Army dog squad drawn from the Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) will also take part, along with their handlers.
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Sticking to the 66-year-old tradition of the Republic Day celebrations, the colourful BSF Camel Regiment consisting of 56 camels led by Deputy Commandant Kuldeep J Choudhary will also march on the Rajpath.
For the first time, the parade will see an ex-servicemen tableau where Army veterans will showcase their role in nation building.
The Indian Army’s missile firing capability T-90 “Bhishma” tank, Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP II (Sarath), Mobile Autonomous Launcher of the BrahMos Missile System, Akash Weapon System, Smerch Launcher Vehicles and Integrated Communication Electronic Warfare System (ICEWS) will be the main draw in the mechanised columns.
An Indian Air Force tableau, with the theme “Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations by IAF: In Service of the Nation and Beyond” will showcase models of C-17 Globemaster, C-130 Hercules and MI-17V5 aircraft, emphasising its use in the Force’s rescue and relief operations in Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Yemen and Nepal.
The Indian Navy’s tableau will have the theme “Empowering India through Maritime security and Indigenisation” displaying flight deck operations on the new aircraft carrier “Vikrant”, under construction at the Kochi Shipyard, and the indigenously constructed submarine “Kalvari” by Mazagaon Dock, Mumbai, having a “Made in India” tag on them.
The parade ceremony will commence at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the nation in paying homage to martyrs by laying a wreath.
As per tradition, after unfurling of the National Flag, the National Anthem will be played with a 21-gun salute. The parade will then commence and the President will take the salute.The parade will be commanded by Lt General Rajan Ravindran, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area while Major General Rajesh Sahai, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Delhi Area will be the parade Second-in-Command.
Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakra awardees will follow the Deputy Parade Commander on jeeps.
The marching contingents of Army will include horse-mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, the Parachute Regiment, the Corps of Signals, the Rajput Regiment, the Garhwal Rifles, the Assam Regiment, 11 Gorkha Rifles and Remount Veterinary Corps Dog Squad.
The marching contingent of Navy comprising 144 young sailors will be led by Lieutenant Commander Anil Raina, while the Indian Air Force contingent comprising 144 men will be led by Flt Lt Ashish Mann.
The Paramilitary and other auxiliary civil forces will include contingents from the Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, Indian Coast Guard, an all women contingent of Central Reserve Police Force, Railway Protection Force, Delhi Police, National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme.
Tableaux from 17 states and 6 Central Ministries and departments will present the varied historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the country.
They will also showcase country’s progress in different fields, particularly floats from Goa, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam.
Source: http://www.firstpost.com/india/live-delhi-turns-into-a-fortress-as-hollande-attends-indias-67th-republic-day-parade-2598774.html?utm_source=FP_CAT_LATEST_NEWS
