Roaring Rafales, drone show to be Republic Day draws

Public attendance to be slashed by 50% this year

The Defence Ministry on Wednesday said public attendance at this year’s Republic Day parade would be slashed by more than 50% compared to the pre-Covid days, but the week-long celebration will be sashayed by a mega drone show at the Beating Retreat ceremony and a 3-D colourful visual show on the façades of North and South Block.

For the first time and probably for the last time, Indian Navy’s ageing work horse IL-38 surveillance aircraft will fly over the Kartavya Path as a part of a 50-aircraft fly-past that would also see formation flying by IAF’s nine Rafale combat jets. The home-grown Tejas Light Combat Aircraft will be a notable absentee.

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane said the seating capacity was cut down to just about 45,000 – from more than a lakh in the pre-Covid time – so that common people continue to visit and enjoy the expanse of the newly laid central boulevard and the surrounding lawns till the last moment. Ironically, the seats have been reduced in a year when the central theme of the national parade is Jan Bhagidari or people’s participation.

Aramane said nearly 32,000 tickets were available for sale, but the number of invites that the ministry sent to the guests and VIPs had been reduced sharply. “Earlier we used to send 50,000-60,000 invites to guests and officials, and another 10,000-15,000 to the VIPs. This year we would be sending only around 12,000 such invites,” said Defence Ministry Joint Secretary Rajesh Ranjan.

Ranjan said before the Covid-19 pandemic, more than one lakh population attended the Republic Day parade, which was a big draw among Delhi residents who braved early morning chills to arrive at the venue. The number was cut down to 24,000-25000 in the last two years.

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sisi will be the chief guest at the 74th Republic Day parade that will witness the participation of a 120-member marching contingent from Egypt.

For the second time in a row, Abide With Me – a Christian hymn, which was favourite to Mahatma Gandhi – was dropped from the Beating Retreat, which will comprise only Indian music.

At the end of the bands' performance, the sky above Raisina Hills would be lit up by 3,500 drones, weaving myriad forms of national figures and events through smooth synchronisation. Botlabs Dynamics, a start-up incubated at IIT Delhi will conduct the drone show.

The celebration will begin with a two-day celebration of the 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose during which Indian Armed Forces will showcase various forms of martial arts like Gatka, Mallakhamb, Kalaripayattu and Thang-ta. There would also be a traditional dance from various tribes and performances by popular singer Kailash Kher.