The 67th Republic Day celebrations had many firsts. Here are they:
1 .For the first time in the history of Republic Day parades, a 76-member French Army contingent led by a French military band comprising 48 musicians, will march on Rajpath and present a ceremonial salute to the President of India.
2. After a gap of 26 years, an Army dog squad drawn from the Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) will also take part, along with their handlers.
3. For the first time, the parade will see an ex-servicemen tableau where Army veterans will showcase their role in nation building.
4. An Indian Air Force tableau, with the theme “Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations by IAF: In Service of the Nation and Beyond” will showcase models of C—17 Globemaster, C—130 Hercules and MI—17V5 aircraft, emphasising its use in the Force’s rescue and relief operations in Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Yemen and Nepal.
5. An all-women contingent of the CRPF — comprising 120 women from the three women battalions of the CRPF and the Rapid Action Force — will showcase their motorcycle riding skills. There will be no male contingent though.
