Bhairav Battalion to make R-Day Parade debut, Army assets to be showcased in battle array formation

New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) The newly raised Bhairav light commando battalion will make its Republic Day Parade debut this January 26 while key Army assets including indigenous platforms accompanied with personnel will roll down the Kartavya Path in a "phased battle array formation", senior officials said on Friday.

Besides, the flypast at the ceremonial event will showcase Rafale, Su-30, P8I, MiG-29, Apache, LCH (Light Combat Helicopter), ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter), Mi-17 helicopters in different formations and transport aircraft C-130 and C-295, they said.

Defence Secretary R K Singh, in a press briefing at South Block, shared the broader contours of the 77th Republic Day celebrations that will see many firsts this time.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, will be the chief guests at the parade.

Asked the reason for the indigenously built LCA Tejas not being featured in the parade and if the recent crash of a Tejas aircraft in November during a demonstration display at the Dubai Air Show was a factor, he said some of the best platforms of the Indian forces are being showcased.

Some platforms have been included while some have not, but there is "no particular reason", the defence secretary said.

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), met with an accident during the aerial display at the Dubai Air Show killing its pilot. The first accident involving a Tejas had occurred in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan in March 2024, but the pilot had ejected safely.

The sesquicentenary of 'Vande Mataram' will be the dominant theme at this year's Republic Day Parade, as enclosure backdrops on the Kartavya Path (earlier Rajpath) here will bear old paintings illustrating the opening stanzas of the National Song and floral artworks at the main stage will pay homage to its composer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

In a departure from traditional practice, 'VVIP' and other labels, used earlier for enclosures at the parade venue, will not be used. Instead, all enclosures have been named after Indian rivers, the senior officials of the defence ministry said.

These names will include prominent rivers of India such as Ganga, Yamuna and Narmada, another senior official said after the briefing.

Similarly, the enclosures which will be put up for the Beating Retreat Ceremony on January 29 have been named after Indian musical instruments such as 'Bansuri', 'Sarod' and 'Tabla', he said.

The annual marquee event will also see the Bhairav light commando battalion making its Republic Day Parade debut.

In a first, the light commando battalion, which was raised around October last year, had taken part in the Army Day Parade on Thursday held this year in a civil area in Jaipur.

Interacting with reporters in Jaipur a day ago, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi said the Bhairav Battalion has been introduced to "bridge the gap" between the infantry and special forces.

Officials said that in a new format introduced this year, key Army assets including indigenous platforms, accompanied by personnel, will roll down the Kartavya Path in a "phased battle array formation".

This means they will move down the ceremonial boulevard in a formation as they would in any battle scenario, starting with reconnaissance, followed by other military units such as logistics and personnel accompanying these platforms, who will be seen wearing battle gear, the senior official said, adding that this new format seeks to make the parade-watching more engaging for spectators.

"The aerial component will also be shown in battle array formation," Singh said, without elaborating.

The defence assets that will be showcased during the parade will include BrahMos, Akash missile system, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) system, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Dhanush artillery gun, Shaktiban and a static display of some drones, Singh told reporters in response to a query.

Eighteen marching contingents and 13 bands will take part in the parade that will last around 90 minutes, the defence ministry said.

An animal contingent comprising Zanskar ponies, Bactrian camels and dogs will also be part of the parade, it said.

The parade will be heralded by a group of 100 cultural artists with Indian martial musical instruments.

Thirty tableaux -- 17 from various states and Union Territories (UTs), and 13 from ministries and services -- will roll down the Kartavya Path, the ministry said.

The themes for the tableaux are 'Swantantra ka Mantra: Vande Mataram' and 'Samriddhi ka Mantra: Atmanirbha Bharat'.

Delhi Metro will commence services from 3 am on January 26 to facilitate the movement of visitors. Those carrying invitation cards for the 77th Republic Day celebrations can avail the back and forth travel free of cost, using QR codes embedded in the invitation cards, the officials said.

The defence officials parade tickets will also be available for sale at select metro stations which receive heavy traffic or which serve as the intersection for two or more metro corridors. PTI KND KSS KSS