India celebrates 73rd Republic Day with iconic R-Day parade
New Delhi : India on Wednesday celebrated 73rd Republic Day with iconic parade at Delhi's Rajpath showcasing the military strength and cultural pageantry.
This year, India is celebrating the 75th Anniversary of India's Independence. Due to coronavirus protocols, only 5000 people were allowed to attend the parade. Only fully vaccinated adults and children above 15 who had received the first shot were allowed.
The parade started at 10:30 AM, with a delay of half an hour for better visibility. Ahead of the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to India's fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial.
The parade started with 21-gun salute. The Indian Army displayed how its uniforms and rifles evolved over the decades since independence. Three contingents of the Army wore uniforms and carried rifles from previous decades, and one wore the new combat uniform and carried the latest Tavor rifles.
The contingents of security forces were followed by tableux from states that showcased India's cultural diversity, with themes ranging from the freedom struggle to biodiversity.
The grand flypast began with the 'Dhwaj' formation with four Mi-17 aircraft and concluded with 17 Jaguar fighter aircraft flying in the 'Amrit' formation to commemorate 75 years of Independence.
