Republic Day 2021: India’s military might to be on display today

New Delhi, Jan 26: India's military and cultural might will be on display during the 72nd Republic Day celebrations. This year the celebrations would be different owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and the parade would follow all the preventive protocols.

The parade will begin at 9.50 am from Vijay Chowk and would proceed towards the National Stadium. The tableaux will start from Vijay Chowk and proceed to the Red Fort Ground.

The parade will begin from Vijay Chowk, as usual, but will end at the National Stadium instead of Red Fort. As opposed to 1.15 lakh people, this year only 25,000 spectators will be allowed to witness the parade. Children below the age of 15 and elderly with comorbidities will not be permitted. Also, this year for the first time in over 5 decades there will be no chief guest from a foreign country.

The 122-member proud contingent of the Bangladesh Armed Forces comprising soldiers of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force will lead the contingent march on Rajpath. The contingent will carry the legacy of the legendary Mukti-joddhas of Bangladesh, who fought against oppression and mass atrocities and liberated Bangladesh in 1971.

The event would culminate with the Rafale aircraft flying at a speed of 900 kilometres per hour and will carry out a Vertical Charlie.

There would be 32 tableaux, 17 from states and Union territories, nine from various ministries or departments and paramilitary forces and six from the ministry of defence, which would depict India economic progress, defence powers and rich cultural heritage.