Rafales, new units, 'Sindoor' formation steal the show at 77th Republic Day parade

New Delhi: Eight months after Operation Sindoor, India on Monday displayed some of its military assets deployed during the Indo-Pak conflict including Rafale combat jets that flew in a “Sindoor” formation while showcasing units raised post-Sindoor such as Bhairav battalion, Shaktiban regiment and Divyastra battery in the Republic Day parade.

With 150 years of Vande Mataram being the central theme of the parade, six of the 30 tableau were based on ideas derived from the national song and 2,500 artists presented a resplendent choreography on a musical piece composed by Oscar winning music director M M Keeravani and narrated by actor Anupam Kher.

President of the European Council Antonio Costa and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen were the Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day parade that was witnessed by close to 77,000 people sitting on both sides of Kartavya Path.

Twenty nine air craft participated in the flypast including 16 fighter jets. Of them were six Rafale aircraft from 101 Squadron (Falcons) that flew in Vajraang formation. An IAF Dhruv advanced light helicopter carried a Sindoor flag.

Earlier, the tri-services tableau highlighted the role of jointness during the 88 hour long conflict last may when precision strike by the IAF, swift deployment by the Navy near Pakistan coast and coordinated ground attack by the army resulted in Pakistan asking for a ceasefire within four days.

Also a glass-cased set up on a trailer, portraying an integrated operational centre, depicted the conduct of the decisive military action with the use of potent weapons systems such as BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

The grand finale was performed by a single Rafale aircraft that flew low at a velocity of 900 km per hour and climbed high in front of the saluting dais carrying out a Vertical Charlie manoeuvre in which the aircraft revolves on its own axis while climbing up.

Other weapons paraded on the central boulevard include Akash missiles, universal rocket launcher system Suryastra, Abhra medium range surface to air missiles, and T-90 and Arjun tanks.

One interesting feature was the Indian Navy tableau that featured among other things, a depiction of the circumnavigation route followed by Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini as part of the Navika Sagar Parikrama-II expedition. Lt Cdr Dilna and Lt Cdr Roopa -- the crew of Navika Sagar Parikrama II, jointly led the tableau.

Interestingly, on the eve of the 77th Republic Day, the two women officers were honoured with the Shaurya Chakra award, months after they made history by completing an extraordinary expedition to circumnavigate the globe, covering 21,600 nautical miles (approximately 40,000 km) over an eight-month period onboard INSV Tarini. The duo became the first women to receive Shaurya Chakra.