PM Modi walks down Kartavya Path after conclusion of 75th Republic Day parade

Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked down the Kartavya Path on Friday after the conclusion of the 75th Republic Day parade and waved at people seated in enclosures reported news agency PTIThe attendees erupted into cheer when the PM passed by their enclosures and welcomed him with claps and slogans of Bharat Mata ki Jai reported PTIPM Modi also crossed over to other side of the Kartavya Path where he was greeted by excited audience as they clicked pictures reported PTIIndia celebrated its 75th Republic Day on Friday with a grand display of its women power rich cultural heritage and military might comprising missiles warplanes surveillance gadgets and lethal weapon systems with French President Emmanuel Macron gracing the occasion as the chief guestThe 75th Republic Day parade at the Kartavya Path in the heart of the national capital commenced with President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute shortly after she and Macron flanked by the Indian presidents bodyguards arrived in a traditional buggy reported PTIPrime Minister Narendra Modi Defence Minister Rajnath Singh several other Union ministers the countrys top military brass foreign diplomats and senior officials were among those who witnessed the impressive show that also included a gravitydefying flypast by helicopters and planes with even a dense fog failing to dampen the spirits of the spectators reported PTIFor the first time an allwomen triservices contingent marched down the Kartavya Path reflecting the countrys growing Nari Shakti women powerIn another first the parade was heralded by over 100 women artistes playing Indian musical instruments such as sankh naadswaram and nagada instead of traditional military bands kickstarting the celebrationsThe first Army contingent leading the mechanised column was the 61 Cavalry which was raised in 1953 It was followed by 11 mechanised columns 12 marching contingents and a flypast by advanced light helicopters of the Army Aviation CorpsT90 Bhishma tanks NAG missile systems infantry combat vehicles allterrain vehicles weapon locating radar system Swathi drone jammer system and mediumrange surfacetoair missiles were among the key displays by the mechanised columnsThe allwomen triservice contingent led by Captain Sandhya of Army Military Police with three supernumerary officers Captain Sharanya Rao Sub Lieutenant Anshu Yadav and Flight Lieutenant Shrishti Rao drew huge applauseAnother allwomen Armed Forces Medical Services contingent headed by Major Srishti Khullar with Captain Amba Samant of the Army Dental Corps Surgeon Lieutenant Kanchana of the Indian Navy and Flight Lieutenant Dhivya Priya of the Indian Air Force also marched down the ceremonial boulevardThe Armys marching contingents included the Madras Regiment the Grenadiers the Rajputana Rifles the Sikh Regiment and the Kumaon RegimentThe Indian Navys contingent consisted of 144 men and women Agniveers led by Lt Prajwal M as contingent commander and Lt Mudita Goyal Lt Sharvani Supreiya and Lt Devika H as platoon commandersIt was followed by a naval tableau depicting the themes Nari Shakti and Sea Power Across the Oceans Through IndigenisationQuick reaction surfacetoair missile QRSAM Astra Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Uttam active electronically scanned array radar AESAR advanced electronic warfare systems and Shakti Cyber Security systems were also on displayThe themes of the celebrations were Viksit Bharat and Bharat Loktantra Ki Matruka IndiaMother of Democracy A 95member marching contingent and a 30member band contingent from France also took part in the paradeTwo Rafale fighters and an Airbus A330 multirole tanker transport aircraft of the French air force also featured in the celebrationsThe celebrations ended with a jawdropping flypast by 46 aircraft of the Indian Air ForceThe IAF fleet included 29 fighter jets seven transport aircraft nine helicopters and a heritage plane All these aircraft operated from six different basesFifteen women pilots including six from the fighter streams operated the IAF platforms during the flypastFor the first time indigenouslybuilt Tejas aircraft flew in a formation of four aircraft There was a previous occasion of one Tejas jet being part of the Republic Day parade but this was the first time that the aircraft flew in a formationThe ceremony started with the prime ministers visit to the National War Memorial where he led the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreathWith inputs from PTI