New Delhi: The upcoming Republic Day Parade will be the first since last year’s Operation Sindoor and is set to highlight India’s enhanced military strength, featuring state-of-the-art defence platforms and a grand flypast by 29 aircraft, an official said on Saturday.
The special focus on military capability is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong endorsement of indigenously developed weapons and drones under the “Make in India” initiative, many of which demonstrated their effectiveness during Operation Sindoor in May 2025.
According to the Ministry of Defence, this year’s parade will present a distinctive blend of 150 years of “Vande Mataram,” India’s defence prowess—including systems such as BrahMos and Akash missiles—and the nation’s cultural diversity through 30 colourful tableaux.
The flypast will feature a range of Indian Air Force assets, including Rafale, Su-30, P-8I, C-295, MiG-29, Apache, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and Mi-17 helicopters, flying in multiple formations.
In addition to military hardware, the parade will include a large-scale cultural programme with around 2,500 artists, celebrating themes of “Vande Mataram” and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The Indian Army’s participation will include a Mounted Column of the 61 Cavalry, a Battle Array Formation being showcased for the first time, and seven marching contingents. The mechanised columns will display a wide array of advanced platforms such as the T-90 and Arjun main battle tanks, BMP-II infantry combat vehicles, the NAMIS-II Nag missile system, ATAGS and Dhanush artillery guns, Akash and MRSAM air defence systems, BrahMos missiles, unmanned ground vehicles, robotic mules, and specialised vehicles designed for high-altitude and all-terrain operations.
European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will attend the parade as Chief Guests.
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi underscored India’s growing defence manufacturing capabilities, noting that the country is building the capacity to export equipment for all three armed services and aims to become one of the world’s leading defence exporters. He highlighted that exports have increased nearly 30-fold over the past 11 years and said systems such as BrahMos and Akash had once again proven their strength during Operation Sindoor.
The parade will feature a total of 18 marching contingents and 13 military bands. Around 10,000 special guests from diverse backgrounds have been invited to witness the event at Kartavya Path. These include individuals recognised for exemplary contributions in areas such as employment generation, technology, innovation, start-ups, self-help groups and the effective implementation of key government initiatives, the Ministry of Defence said.
With inputs from IANS