From being hosted in a civil area to Bhairav Battalion debut – the many firsts at Army Day Parade

New Delhi/Jaipur, Jan 15 (PTI) The 78th Army Day Parade hosted in the heart of Jaipur on Thursday marked many firsts, with the annual marquee event moving outside a cantonment area for the first time, and the newly-raised Bhairav light commando battalion making its parade debut.

Besides showcasing India's military prowess, the parade, held on Mahal Road, also featured vibrant cultural performances, including traditional dance forms of Rajasthan such as ‘Kalbelia’ and ‘Gair’ by artistes from the state.

It was also the first time that the folk culture of Rajasthan, in the form of the famous ‘Kalbelia’ dance, was displayed in an Army Day parade, people familiar with the matter said. A large number of people witnessed the parade, with air warriors in Apache, Prachand, Dhruv and Rudra helicopters criss-crossing the sky above them.

While the showpiece military event was hosted beyond the limits of Delhi -- where it has been traditionally held -- in the past few years, it was conventionally held in a military cantonment area.

While the 76th Army Day Parade was held at the Thakur Sheodatt Singh Parade Ground, 11 Gorkha Rifles Regiment Centre (GRRC), Lucknow, in 2024, last year it was hosted at the Bombay Engineers Group (BEG) and Centre Parade Ground at the Kirkee Cantonment in Pune.

While Jaipur is the headquarters of the Army's South Western Command -- the Sapt Shakti Command, where the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Thursday laid wreaths to pay tributes to India's bravehearts, the Army Day Parade was held on Mahal Road, which falls under the civil administration.

BrahMos missiles, advanced armoured platforms, the formidable Bhishma Tank (T-90) and the indigenous Arjun Tank, among other military platforms and weapons systems, were part of the parade in Jaipur, along with robotic mules.

“It was the first time that an Army Day Parade took place in a civil area. A lot of civil-military coordination work preceded the actual parade. It was a collaborative event, away from a military enclave,” a person familiar with the matter said.

Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year to commemorate the achievements of the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, General (later Field Marshal) K M Cariappa.

On this day in 1949, Gen Cariappa, who led the Indian forces in the 1947 war against Pakistan, took over the command of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher, the last British commander-in-chief, and later became the first commander-in-chief of the force in Independent India.

In the national capital, the parade has traditionally been held at the Cariappa Ground in Delhi Cantonment.

Another first at the 78th Army Day Parade was the debut of the Bhairav light commando battalion. The Bhairav Battalion was raised by the Army around October last year, and currently, there are two units of it, defence sources told PTI.

The contingent of the battalion marched during the parade amid loud cheers from the crowd.

The Bhairav Battalion will also take part in the upcoming Republic Day Parade in Delhi, sources said. Interacting with reporters in Jaipur, Army chief Gen Dwivedi said the Bhairav Battalion has been introduced to "bridge the gap" between the infantry and special forces.

In the annual Army press conference in Delhi on January 13, Gen Dwivedi had listed a series of measures the force has initiated to bolster its combat prowess, which included raising new units, such as the Bhairav light commando battalions, Shaktibaan regiments, Divyaastra artillery regiments and Ashni platoons.

"We have re-oriented and created several new structures: Rudra Brigades for high-tempo multi-domain operations and Bhairav Battalions for agility and disruptive effect," he had said. PTI KND ARI