India celebrates its 69th R-Day with showcase of mighty military power and rich culture...For the first time together all Ten ASEAN leaders attend as chief guests

By Shobhna Jain | Posted on 26th Jan 2018 | VNI स्पेशल

New Delhi, Jan 26( VNI) India showcased its mighty military power, culture and diversity on the 69th Republic Day celebrations today, It drew cheers from leaders of all 10 ASEAN nations who all attended together the event as chief guests for the first time at the parade along with Indian dignitaries and thousands of proud Indians. The unprecedented presence of all ASEAN leaders was signifying India’s fast-growing strategic ties with ASEAN and reflective of India’s stature as a major power in the region, where China has been trying to expand its influence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited the leaders for the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit and to attend the Republic Day celebrations as chief guests.

Cold weather conditions and dense fog could not dampen the enthusiasm of thousands of spectators including children who witnessed spell bound the nearly 90 minute long parade that marched down the eight-kilometre stretch from the Rajpath to the Red Fort amid an unprecedented security cover.

President Ramnath Kovid took the salute at the parade. Vice president M Venkaiah Naydu and PM Narendra Modi were sitting at the impressive dias decorated with flowers along with ASEAN leaders. Most of the ministers of the Modi government, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley,Defence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman Health Minister J P Nadda, Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan were present on the occasion. Present at the occasion were senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani,BJP president Amit Shah and congress president Rahul Gandhi

Mr Gandhi was seen sitting in the middle row and was seen chatting with senior Congress leaders and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The parade was commanded by Lt General Asit Mistry, General Officer Commanding, Headquarters Delhi Area. The supreme commander of the Indian armed forces President Kovind took the salute at the parade.

Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, Singaporean Premier Lee Hsien Loong and Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah were among the ASEAN leaders who attended the event.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Cambodian Premier Hun Sen also watched the grand parade.

They were accompanied by their spouces , many of them watched while capturing memories in their camera.Many of them smiled cheerfully and waved when ASEAN tableu passed.

India's former prime minister Mr Manmohan Singh, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy chief minister of Delhi Mr Manish Sisodia were also present on the occasion.

There was a march past at the ceremony by the Army personnel carrying the ASEAN flag. The Army personnel also carried the flags of the 10 ASEAN nations in the parade.

The highlight of the parade was the motorcycle contingent, 'Seema Bhawani', comprising women personnel of the BSF that showcased their skills for the first time at the parade.At the beginning of ceremony, President President Kovind presented Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peacetime military decoration, to wife and mother of Commando Jyoti Prakash Nirala, a Garud Commando of the Indian Air Force (IAF) who sacrificed his life fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.President became emotional while presenting award to his wife,he was seen wiping his tears.Before the start of parade, Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Sitharaman and chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air force paid tributes at the 'Amar Jawan Jyoti', the war memorial at India Gate where an eternal flame burns in memory of those who laid down their lives defending the frontiers of the nation.

In the showcase of India's mighty military power,The Indian Army's T-90 tank (Bhishma), Ballway Machine Pikate (II/IIK), Brahmos Missile System, Weapon Locating Radar (Swathi), Bridge Laying Tank T-72, Mobile Base Transceiver Station and Akash Weapon System were showcased at the parade.

The marching contingent of the Army included horse- mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, the Punjab Regiment, Maratha Light Infantry, the Dogra Regiment, Ladakh Scouts, the Regiment of Artillery and 123 Infantry Battalion -- Territorial Army (Grenadiers).

The marching contingent of the Navy, comprising 144 young sailors, was led by Lieutenant Tushar Gautam, while the Indian Air Force contingent, comprising 144 men, was led by Squadran Leader Attal Singh Shekhon.

The paramilitary and other auxiliary civil forces, including the Border Security Force also marched on the Rajpath.

Camel Contingents, Indian Coast Guard, Sashastra Seema Bal, Indo Tibetan Border Police, the Delhi Police, National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme were also among the marching contingents at the parade.

The Navy also showcased its Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant, which will be commissioned in 2020, while the Defence Development and Research Organisation exhibited the 'Nirbhay' missile and the Ashwini radar system.

The theme of the Indian Air Force Tableau was 'Indian Air Force Encouraging Indigenisation' which displayed models of the Tejas Multirole Fighter Aircraft, Rudra Helicopter, Arudhra Radar and the Akash missile system.

Fifteen of the 18 children who won the National Bravery Award also participated in the parade. Three children, including two girls, have received the award posthumously.Of the 18 children, seven are girls and 11 are boys.

In the children's section, over 800 boys and girls drawn from three schools in Delhi along with a group of school children from Nagpur and Dimapur, performed colourful dances on different themes.

The grand finale of the parade was a spectacular flypast by MI-17 and RUDRA armed helicopters along with a number of IAF aircraft.The flypast commenced with the 'Rudra' formation comprising three ALH Mk IV WSI helicopters in 'Vic' formation, followed by the 'Hercules' formation comprising three C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.

Trailing them were the 'Netra' which is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System Aircraft also known as 'Eye in the Sky'.

As per tradition, after unfurling the national flag, the national anthem was played followed by a 21 gun salute.

A massive ground-to-air security apparatus was put in place in the national capital, turning the city into a virtually impregnable fortress.

The ceremony ended with the playing of the national anthem and the release of thousands of balloons.

PM Modi and President Kovind also waved to the crowd after the conclusion of the ceremony and were greeted with loud cheers.