R-Day: India Shows Military Might With Apache, Chinook & Dhanush

Catch all live updates from India’s 71st Republic Day Celebrations on 26 January 2019.

The Quint
India
Updated:
India celebrates its 71st Republic Day on Sunday, 26 January.
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India celebrates its 71st Republic Day on Sunday, 26 January.
(Photo: PTI)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro and President of India Ram Nath Kovind left as the 71st Republic Day parade concluded on Sunday, 26 January.

The celebrations witnessed display of India's military prowess at the parade, where Apache and Chinook helicopters also made their debut. Meanwhile, states displayed their tableaux, ranging across different themes.

India is celebrating its 71st Republic Day today. Bolsonaro, who is the chief guest for the function, is on a four-day visit to India. He was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the presence of Kovind and Modi.

  • 22 tableaus —16 from states and union territories and the rest from various ministries and departments — took part in the Republic Day parade
  • The Delhi Police has issued a traffic advisory for routes to take and avoid
  • Kolkata Citizens will form 11 km-kong human chain to “uphold unity”
  • President Kovind addressed the nation on the eve of the Republic Day, on 25 January

With Apache, Chinook, 'Dhanush', India Displays Military Might at R-Day Parade

Anti-satellite weapon 'Shakti', lethal artillery gun 'Dhanush', and newly-inducted helicopters Apache and Chinook were among the key military assets showcased by India for the first time at the Republic Day parade on Sunday, 26 January.

Scaled down models of IAF's Rafale aircraft and Indian Navy's Kolkata-class stealth destroyer and a Kalvari-class submarine were also displayed during the ceremonial event.

A marching contingent of the Corps of Army Air Defence was also part for parade for the first time.

Beating The Retreat Ceremony Begins at the Attari-Wagah Border

Beating the retreat ceremony begins at the Attari-Wagah border on Republic Day. The ceremony is marked with a parade by the soldiers from the Indian and Pakistani army and ends with the perfect coordination of lowering of the flags of the two nations.

Clashes Break out Between Police & BJP Youth Wing Workers Over 'Bharat Mata Puja' in Bengal

A clash broke out between police personnel and BJP youth wing workers in Howrah, West Bengal after police stopped them from performing 'Bharat Mata Puja' to mark the Republic Day celebrations.

Clash Breaks Out Between Police, BJP Workers in WB's Howrah

In West Bengal, a clash break out between police personnel and BJP youth wing workers in Howrah after police stopped them from performing 'Bharat Mata Puja' on Republic Day.

Deputy Commissioner Lahaul-Spiti Saroch Unfurls National Flag Over 10,000 Ft

In Himachal Pradesh, Deputy Commissioner Lahaul-Spiti KK Saroch unfurled the national flag in Keylong, Lahaul-Spiti district, at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, during Republic Day celebrations.

At Delhi's Khureji, Women Wear Tricolour Hijabs, Bangles

Khureji Women wear tricolour Hijab and Bangles at Khureji Protest today to celebrate Republic day.

Republic Day Festival 'Bharat Parv' Showcases All 22 Tableaux at Red Fort

The Tourism Ministry has now devised a way to give everyone a chance to witness the grandeur of these tableaux even after Republic Day.

In one of its biggest events of the year, the Tourism Ministry will be showcasing all 22 tableaux at the 'Bharat Parv' organised in the lawns of the Red Fort. The tableaux will kept from 25 to 31 January for visitors at the festival to see them, click pictures and take selfies.

Along with tableaux, the event will also feature special band performances by all three armed forces and will in a way extend Republic Day celebrations for visitors.

The festival is set to host several cultural performances with the splendour of the Red Fort as a backdrop.

“This is going to an extended Republic day celebration,” a senior tourism official told IANS.

'Dadis' of Shaheen Bagh Hoisted National Flag on Republic Day

Republic Day: Congress Leaders Enter into Brawl in MP

National Flag Hoisting Ceremony in Lucknow's Clock Tower

In Lucknow, people protest against Citizenship Amendment Act at Clock Tower and hoist the national flag on Republic Day.

Colourful R-Day Parade in Kolkata

West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar unfurled the Tricolour and took the ceremonious salute in Kolkata as the eastern state joined the rest of the nation in celebrating India's 71st Republic Day.

Amid heightened security, Dhankhar inspected a guard of honour. The national anthem “Jana Gana Mana” reverberated across the arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani and kickstarted a colourful march-past.

Units from the army, navy and air force took part in the customary parade displaying sophisticated weapons and logistical equipment in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her ministerial colleagues, Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay, senior bureaucrats and police officers, and members of the diplomatic corps, reports IANS.

Jamia VC Najma Akhtar Hoists Tricolour Flag

Jamia Millia Islamia University Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar hoists the tricolour flag on 71st Republic Day.

(Photo: ANI)

BSP Commandant Mukund Kumar Hoists National Flag at Attari-Wagah Border

In Punjab, Border Security Force (BSF) Commandant Mukund Kumar Jha hoists the national flag at Attari-Wagah border, in Amritsar today.

NCC's 3 Delhi Girls Battalion Present Guard of Honour to JNU VC at Flag Hoisting Ceremony

In Delhi, NCC's 3 Delhi Girls Battalion cadets present guard of honour to Vice-Chancellor M Jagdesh Kumar at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

“This is the first time that we have established a girl's unit in JNU. 15 cadets participated in the guard of honour,” said the VC.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Brazil Prez Jair Bolsonaro Leave as Parade Concludes

President of India Ram Nath Kovind and President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro leave as the Republic Day parade concludes.

Su-30 MKIs of IAF Execute 'Trishul' Manoeuvre

Su-30 MKIs of Indian Air Force execute the 'Trishul' manoeuvre. The formation is being led by Group Captain Nishit Ohri. The captains of the other two aircraft are Wing Commander Nilesh Dixit and Wing Commander Karan Dogra.

5 Apache Helicopters Fly in, Group Capt Mannarath Shylu Leads Formation

Five Apache helicopters flying in, the formation is led by Group Captain Mannarath Shylu VM, Commanding Officer 125 Helicopter Squadron.

21 Women on 5 Motorcycles Form a Human Pyramid

Twenty-one women on five motorcycles make a human pyramid. Assistant Sub Inspector Anita Kumari VV leads this formation.

(Photo: ANI/DD)

Republic Day Celebration in UP's Lucknow

In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Republic Day celebration is underway at legislative assembly complex.

PM Modi Watches Garba Perfomance by 150 Girls From Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnesses Garba, the folk dance of Gujarat, being performed at Rajpath by 150 girls from different schools of the state.

Tableau of J&K on Govt's 'Back to Village' Program

In Delhi, the tableau of Jammu and Kashmir being showcased at the Republic Day parade. Jammu and Kashmir government’s ‘Back to Village’ program is the theme of the union territory's tableau, this year.

Republic Day: Mobile Phone Services Snapped in Kashmir

Mobile phone services were snapped in Kashmir today as a precautionary measure for enuring smooth passage of Republic Day celebrations in the valley, officials said.

While mobile internet services were suspended hours after their restoration on Saturday, mobile phone connectivity was suspended in the early hours of Sunday, they said.

Suspension of mobile phone and Internet services on Republic and Independence days has been part of the security drill in the valley since 2005 when militants used a mobile phone to trigger an IED blast near the venue of Independence day celebrations, reports PTI.

HP Tableau Displays Kullu Dussehra Festival, MP Tableau Depicts Tribal Museum

Tableau of Himachal Pradesh showcases the Kullu Dussehra festival and the tableau of Madhya Pradesh depicts the Tribal Museum of state.

Republic Day: Shaheen Bagh Hoists Tricolour Flag Amid a Huge Crowd

Telangana Tableaux Depicts Bathukamma — Floral Festival of the State

Telangana tableaux depicts Bathukamma, a floral festival of the state and tableaux of Assam depicts bamboo and cane crafts from the state.

Indian Navy Showcases Its Assets

The Indian Navy showcases its assets like Boeing P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft and the Kolkata Class Destroyer and the Kalvari Class submarine. The indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant under construction at the Cochin Shipyard.

Republic Day: Naval Brass Brand at Rajpath

The display of Naval Brass Brand at the Republic Day parade at Rajpath in Delhi.

Sikh Light Infantry Regiment at Parade With their War Cry 'Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Shri Akal.'

Sikh Light Infantry Regiment is led by Major Anjum Gorka of 6th Battalion of the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment. The motto of the Regiment is ‘Deg Teg Fateh’ and the war cry is ‘Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Shri Akal.

India's Military Prowess at Display in Republic Day Parade

In Delhi, the battle tank of the Indian Army, T- 90 Bhishma, is commanded by Captain Sunny Chahar of 86 Armoured Regiment, at the Rajpath.

The K-9 VAJRA-T commanded by Captain Abhinav Sahu of 269 Medium Regiment, at Rajpath.

Former PM Manmohan Singh, CJI Bobde Also Present at the Celebrations

In Delhi, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and others at Rajpath for Republic Day celebrations.

Republic Day Celebrations Begin at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh

(Photo: The Quint)

President Ram Nath Kovind Unfurls National Flag at Rajpath

In Delhi, President of India Ram Nath Kovind unfurls the national flag on 71st Republic Day at Rajpath.

PM Modi, Brazil Prez Bolsonaro Arrive at Rajpath

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Rajpath where Republic Day parade will begin shortly. Chief guest of the day Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro has also aarived.

Republic Day: PM Modi Pays Homage to Fallen Soldiers at National War Memorial

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid homage to the fallen soldiers at the newly-built National War Memorial in Delhi on the Republic Day for the first time instead of the Amar Jawan Jyoti beneath the India Gate arch.

The iconic memorial in the India Gate complex behind the canopy was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 25 last year.

CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, Air Force Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhaduria present.

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Crowds Throng in to Watch Republic Day Parade

In Delhi, crowds in large numbers have arrived at Rajpath to witness the 71st Republic Day parade.

(Photo: ANI)

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray Joins the Club, Hoists Tricolour at Residence

In Mumbai, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray hoists the national flag at his residence.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Hoists Triclour Flag at His Residence

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hoists the national flag at his residence in Delhi.

Odisha Guv Ganeshi Lal Hoists Tricolour Flag

In Odisha’s Bhubaneswar, Governor Ganeshi Lal hoists the tricolour.

Yogi Adityanath Tweets His Wishes, Says 'Reminder of Sacrifices by Freedom Fighters'

“Wish you all the best of Republic Day. The Republic Day also reminds the sacrifices of freedom fighters and conscious of constitutional duties. This national festival provides an opportunity to commit to introspection and achieve the dreams and goals of great patriots,” Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath tweeted.

Rahul Gandhi Wishes Nation on 71st Republic Day

Republic Day: BJP President JP Nadda Hoists National Flag at Party HQ

BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda hoists the tricolour at party headquarters in Delhi today.

ITBP Jawans March With Tricolour Flag in Ladakh, Chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel with the national flag celebrating Republic Day at 17,000 feet in snow today. The temperature in Ladakh at present is minus 20 degrees Celsius. They chanted ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram,’ reported ANI.

Republic Day: Jaipur Hoists Triclour Flag at Badi Chaupar

National Flag Unfurled at Mumbai's CSMT

RSS Gen Sec Bhaiyaji Joshi Hoists Tricolour Flag at Nagpur HQ

'As We Raise the Flag Today, Let's Also Raise the Level of Protest': P Chidambaram Tweets on Republic Day

Chennai: TN Governor, Along With CM, Deputy CM Unfurl Tricolour Flag

In Chennai, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit unfurls the national flag. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam are also present.

'Let Us Uphold Principles of Sovereign, Socialist...,' Writes Mamata Banerjee

Capital Under Multi-Layered, Ground-To-Air Security Cover for Republic Day Celebrations

With the 71st Republic Day celebrations set to begin in Delhi shortly, the entire national capital has been put under a multi-layered, ground-to-air security cover with thousands of armed personnel keeping a tight vigil over it, including the celebration venue Rajpath.

Aided by dozens of drones in the air and hundreds of CCTV cameras and facial recognition devices, besides several anti-aircraft guns on the ground, the security personnel are keeping a hawk-eyed vigil over Rajpath, where President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be celebrating the occasion along with chief guest, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, and other dignitaries, besides thousands of citizens.

Over ten thousand security personnel have been deployed to keep vigil over the Republic Day celebrations on Sunday, said officials, reported PTI.

'India's Military Might, Cultural Diversity, Social & Economic Progress to Be on Display,' Writes PIB

Republic Day: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Sends Good Wishes

Home Minister Amit Shah Wishes on 71st Republic Day

Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra's Deputy CM Says 'Let's Pledge to Uphold Our Constitution'

IIT Bombay Students Took Out Tricolour March on Republic Day Eve

Republic Day: Tricolour Unfurled at Shaheen Bagh

In Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, the tricolour was unfurled on the morning of Republic Day today.

(Photo: ANI)

PM Modi Wishes Everyone a 'Very Happy Republic Day'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi kickstarted Republic day with his wishes today. He wrote, “Wishing everyone a happy Republic Day. Jai Hind!”

India's Military Might, Cultural Heritage to Be on Display at Rajpath

India's military might, rich cultural diversity and socio-economic progress will be on full display during the 71st Republic Day celebrations at the Rajpath in New Delhi, according to PTI.

Anti-satellite weapon Shakthi, Army's battle tank Bhishma, infantry combat vehicles and newly inducted Chinook and Apache helicopters of the Indian Air Force will be part of the grand military parade.

The national capital has been brought under a massive ground-to-air security cover, with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel keeping a hawk-eye vigil.

Entry, Exit at 4 Delhi Metro Stations to Be Closed for Few Hours

The entry and exit at some of the metro stations in central Delhi will be closed for a few hours in the morning of Republic Day on Sunday due to security reasons, officials said, according to PTI.

Entry and exit facilities at Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan metro stations will not be available from 6 am to 12 pm, they said.

Meanwhile, entry and exit at Patel Chowk and Lok Kalyan Marg metro stations will be closed from 8:45 am to 12 noon.

Kolkata Citizens Will Form 11 Km-Long Human Chain to "Uphold Unity"

Hundreds of people from different communities are likely to form an 11-km-long human chain from the north to the south of Kolkata on Republic Day "to uphold unity and protect the Constitution", organisers said on Saturday.

The human chain from Shyambazaar in the north to Golpark in the southern part of the city will be formed at noon for 10 minutes, said organisers United Interfaith Foundation India (UIFI), an inter-faith group comprising leaders of different religious communities in the state.

Preparations Underway on the Eve of Republic Day

Government Announces Padma Shri Winners

Ahead of the Republic Day, the government announced names of twenty-one Padma Shri awardees for this year. This is the fourth highest civilian award in the country and the awardees.

Nine of the awardees are social workers from different states like Popratrao Pawar from Maharashtra for ecological conservation, Usha Chaumar from Rajasthan for her fight against the practice of manual scavenging, Abdul Jabbar from Madhya Pradesh for fighting for rehabilitation of Bhopal Gas Tragedy and others.

Others from the field of medicine and agriculture will also be receiving the Padma Shri this year.

Watch Live: President Kovind Addresses Nation on Eve of Republic Day

Delhi Police Issues Traffic Advisory

The Delhi Police issued a traffic advisory for the Republic Day celebrations listing out the routes to avoid during the Republic Day Parade that will be held between 9 am to 12:30 pm.

Delhi Police have also shared a 24-hour helpline number: 01125844444 (along with the regular 112 number).

It also made announcements regarding Delhi Metro and bus service restrictions.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has also announced that all its parking lots will remain closed from 6 am on January 25 to 2 pm on January 26 as part of the security arrangements.

J&K Police Give 108 Gallantry Medals

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has been given the maximum number of gallantry honours with 108 medals, followed by the CRPF 76, on the occasion of the 71st Republic Day, according to an official order on Saturday.

The Jharkhand Police has been given 33 Prime Minister’s Gallantry medals. The medals are declared biannually on the eve of Republic Day and Independence Day.

First Woman to Lead All Male Contingent: 71st R-Day Brings New Changes

The Republic Day celebrations this year will mark a series of firsts, from changes in some old traditions to the introduction of new ones.

The DRDO has announced that an Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile will be part of the Republic Day display this year, for the first time.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay homage to India’s fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial. Till now, the ceremony was conducted at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate.

Captain Tania Shergill will be a parade adjutant for the Republic Day parade, continuing her streak, as she had previously been the first ever woman officer to lead an all male marching contingent during the Army Day parade.

Controversies Surrounding R'Day Chief Guest Prez Bolsonaro

Controversy's favourite child, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro is India's 71st Republic Day's chief guest. He arrived in India on 24 January for a four-day visit. He will be the third Brazilian President to attend the Republic Day celebrations. Bolsonaro is expected to try to boost bilateral relations between Brazil and India.

Delhi CM Kejriwal Reads Out Preamble of Constitution Ahead of R'Day

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal read out the Preamble of the Constitution at the Republic Day celebration at Chhatrasal Stadium on Saturday and asserted that the responsibility of protecting the Constitution lies with citizens of the country.

In his address at the 71st Republic Day celebration by the Delhi government, Kejriwal said,

“We were gifted the Constitution by those who got freedom for the country by making huge sacrifices. It is the responsibility of 130 crore population of the country to protect it. If the Constitution is protected, the country will sail through difficult circumstances easily.”

Security Beefed Up in Delhi

Thousands of security personnel have been deployed and CCTV cameras installed ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.

As per reports, sharpshooters and snipers will be deployed atop high-rise buildings to keep a watch on the 8km-long parade route from Rajpath to the Red Fort on January 26.

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Published: 25 Jan 2020,05:34 PM IST

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