Newly raised Indian Army light commando Bhairav battalions, specialised Shaktibaan artillery units and the Ladakh Scouts will march on Kartavya Path. A total of 18 marching contingents, along with a small European Union naval contingent, will take part in the parade.
New Delhi: The main theme of the Republic Day Parade this year will be “150 Years of Vande Mataram.” For the first time, some Indian Army contingents will present a phased Battle Array Format, with live commentary explaining the roles of various formations and equipment.
Newly raised Indian Army light commando Bhairav battalions, specialised Shaktibaan artillery units and the Ladakh Scouts will march on Kartavya Path. A total of 18 marching contingents, along with a small European Union naval contingent, will take part in the parade.
The flypast will feature Rafale, Su-30, MiG-29 fighter jets and Apache helicopters. Indigenous weapon systems such as the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Akash surface-to-air missile will also be showcased.
The parade will last around 90 minutes and is expected to be witnessed by nearly 77,000 people.
In a move aimed at ending VIP culture, guest enclosures this year will be named after Indian rivers instead of the earlier V1, V2 format, which often led to confusion and preferential demand, official sources said.
As many as 30 tableaux will roll down Kartavya Path, including 17 from States and Union Territories and 13 from Union ministries, reflecting themes of Vande Mataram and self-reliance.
For the first time, the Indian Army’s animal contingent will march during the Republic Day Parade 2026. The contingent will include two Bactrian camels, four Zanskar ponies, four raptors, ten Indian-breed Army dogs and six conventional military dogs currently in service.
Defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, addressing a press briefing at South Block, said the 77th Republic Day celebrations would feature several firsts. Invitation cards will carry the sesquicentenary logo of Vande Mataram, and a cluster of balloons bearing the theme will be released at the conclusion of the parade.
Band performances by the armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces will be held from January 19 to 26 at about 235 locations across more than 120 cities on the theme of Vande Mataram. Enclosure backdrops along Kartavya Path will also display reproductions of artist Tejendra Kumar Mitra’s paintings illustrating the opening lines of Vande Mataram, first published in 1923, officials said.
