India is celebrating its 74th Republic Day on 26th January. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is the chief guest for the event, making him the first Egyptian President to have been invited as the chief guest to India's Republic Day celebrations.
Along with this, the 74th Republic Day will witness a few other firsts as well:
1. This will be the first Republic Day celebrations hosted at the ceremonial boulevard after Rajpath was renamed to 'Kartavya Path' last year.
2. The vintage artillery with 25-pounder guns that traditionally fires the thundering ceremonial 21-Gun Salute during the Republic Day celebrations will be replaced by 105 mm Indian field guns this year, as the government makes a further push for its Make in India initiative.
Also Read: Why 21-Gun Salute is given On Republic Day?
Acting towards the Atmanirbhar Bharat-push, which will be a prime focus this time around, during a press interaction, Chief of Staff Delhi Area Maj Gen Bhavnish Kumar said, "We are transitioning towards indigenisation" and the "time is not far when all our equipment will be 'swadeshi'".
All equipment from the Army that will be showcased during the 74th Republic Day celebrations are made-in-India, he said, adding that the Akash weapon system and helicopters, Rudra and ALH Dhruv, will also be part of it.
3. A team of "Daredevils" Motor Cycle Riders from the Corps of Signals, will be for the first time, co-led by a woman officer/
Lt Dimple Singh Bhati from the Corps of Signals will be part of the 'Daredevils' that performs motorcycle stunts.
"I will be part of the pyramid formation. Initially, there was a bit of fear but then slowly we learn to trust ourselves and our motorcycles," she said in a PTI report.
4. This year's Republic Day will witness the BSF's first-ever women contingent riding camels along with their male counterparts.
The famed camel contingent of the Border Security Force has been a part of the Republic Day celebrations since 1976 after it replaced a similar squad of the Army which had been participating in the annual parade since it was first held in 1950.
5. Fifty aircraft will take part in the celebrations that will include aerial display by nine Rafale and the Navy's IL-38 which will be showcased at the event, perhaps the last time.
IL-38 is a maritime reconnaissance aircraft of the Indian Navy that has served for nearly 42 years.
Besides the IL-38 naval aircraft, the formations like 'Bheem' and 'Vajrang' will be showcased over the Kartavya Path for the first time.
In the 'Bheem' formation, a C-17 aircraft will be flanked by two Su-30s. And, then in the 'Vajrang' formation, a C-130 aircraft will be flanked by four Rafale aircraft.
6. This is for the first time that the President of Egypt has been invited as the chief guest to India's Republic Day celebrations. A military contingent from the Egyptian Army will also participate in the Republic Day parade.
7. For the first time, a 3-D anamorphic projection will be organised during Beating Retreat Ceremony 2023 on the facade of North and South Block.
(With agency inputs)