India celebrates 62nd Republic Day
A strong and resurgent India on Wednesday celebrates its 62nd Republic Day with the annual parade that displays the rumble of military might and colourful tableaux encapsulating the cultural diversity of the nation of over 1.2 billion people.
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other top leaders were in attendance in New Delhi’s elaborate Republic Day celebrations.
As per tradition, after unfurling of the National Flag, the National Anthem was played. Thereafter President Pratibha Devisingh Patil conferred the Ashoka Chakra on Major Laishram Jyotin Singh (posthumous) of the Army Medical Corps who was posted in Kabul.
The parade commences and the President takes the salute.
A heavy security cloak is thrown in and around the area while this year’s guest at the parade is Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He is accompanied by his wife Ani Bambang Yudhoyono.
The highlight of this year is the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, participating in the Republic Day Parade on the Rajpath for the first time. The twin seater Trainer Version of the Tejas is being displayed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The DRDO equipment columns include an array of Naval Underwater Weapons such as torpedoes, Life Support Systems such as Submarine Escape Suit and the Long Range Solid State Active Phased Array Radar.
The Indian Army will displays its most advanced T-90 tank, Brahmos Launcher System, Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher, Reporter Tactical Control Radar, NBC Recce Vehicle, Indigenous Pontoons Movable Section Brigade, Integrated Network Platform, Prahar-510 Armoured Troop Carrier and a flypast by the Army Aviation Corps? Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv.
While the Indian Navy displays scaled down models of the aircraft carrier INS Viraat, Talwar kilo class submarine and the Mig-29K, the 4th Generation fighter jet inducted last year, the Indian Air Force tableau focuses on Network Centric Operations based on the AFNET, the state-of-the-art gigabyte digital information grid, also dedicated to the nation last year.
However, the IAF (Indian Air Force) will not hold any static-display of any of its aircraft.
The parade ceremony commences at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leads the nation in paying homage to the martyrs by laying wreath.
An eternal flame burns at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to commemorate the indomitable courage of Armed Forces personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the motherland.
The Amar Jawan, the immortal soldier, is symbolised by a reversed rifle topped by a helmet.