In the grand tradition of the Republic Day celebrations at the Rajpath in New Delhi, this year also the ceremonious parade showcases India’s diversity of culture, and the capabilities of our armed forces. Every year, since 1950, India has hosted a head of state or government of another country as the state guest of honour.
This year, the guests of honour are Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei, Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte of The Philippines, Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Nguyen Xuân Phúc, Prime Minister of Vietnam, President Halima Yacob of Singapore, President Htin Kyaw of Myanmar, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha of Thailand and Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith of Laos.
The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, received the ASEAN Heads of State and Government at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 25, 2018.
Here are the live updates:
Mr. Modi later thanked ASEAN leaders for joining the Republic Day celebrations.
The Republic Day parade comes to an end.
The Rudra Formation, the Hercules Formation, Netra, Globe Formation and several more. The lone SU-MKI flying at 900 kmph split the sky.
R-Day parade at Rajpath, New Delhi.
106 riders on 26 motorcycles:
BSF India's women motorcycle team led by sub-inspectors Stanzin Noryang balance themselves and salute the President, one of them was seen side-riding with a laptop.
25 years of ASEAN:
India's 25 years of ASEAN.
18 children were selected for National Bravery Awards, 3 of them posthumously.
Sangrai Mog Dance was presented by the North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur.
Sangrai Mog Dance.
155 students from Mount Abu Public School commemorate the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Partnership through their dance performance on the theme One Vision One Identity and One Community, tweeted @PIB_India.
A dance performance
Young winners of National Bravery Awards take part in the R-Day show.
CPWD's floral tableau showcases Diwali.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs took to stage with the 'Khelo India' theme, to which the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore stood up to acknowledge them passing through the parade.
Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) showed their dynamism.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs were also a part of the parade.
Himachal Pradesh showcased a Tibetan theme with a Buddha statue and monks.
The Karnataka tableau shows the state's wildlife.
The Karnataka tableau
Maharashtra, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Assam also displayed their themes.
The Lakshadweep tableau at Rajpath on Republic Day 2018.
The Kerala tableau
Punjab showcased a Gurdwara and went for a spiritual theme this year.
The story of King Raavana's killing was showcased in one of the tableaus.
All India Radio or the Akashwani took their tableau to the road.
Rural tourism of Uttarakhand, the livelihood of Jammu and Kashmir and other tableaus made their presentation.
The Uttarakhand tableau
The National Cadet Corps led their way to the Rajpath. NCC Boys' Band and the NCC Senior Division Boys Marching Contingent are a part of this. The boys band plays 'Kadam Kadam Badhay Ja'.
Indian airforce tableau, encouraging indigenization, led by three women officers Lt. Chanda, Lt. Aditi Bali and Lt. Amandeep Kaur.
Indian airforce tableau led by three women officers.
A DRDO presentation the Nirbhaya, a subsonic cruise missile was led by Kunal Kumar after this tableau.
ASEAN flags on the Republic Day parade:
The Indian costguard marching contingent was also a part of the parade.
Indian Navy's contingent being led by Lt. Tusshar Gautam, march past the Rajpath.
The veterans also made an appearance.
The first marching contingent is The Punjab Regiment, the second highest decorated regiment of the Indian Army.
Akash Weapon System of 27 Air Defence Regiment glides in at Rajpath.
Weapon locating radar Swathi, an indigenous radar was also a part of the parade.
The famed Brahmos Missile System of 881 Missile Regiment, the only super sonic cruise missile in the world.
Brahmos, Super Sonic Cruise Missile
Armored fighting vehicle T90 Bhishma is the next. 'Knowledge humility and valour' is the motto of their regiment.
The first contingent, mounted on horses, 61st cavalry, is led by captain Dipanshu Shioran. 'Horsepower is forever supreme' is their motto.
The beginning of the parade.
The R-Day parade is being led by Parade Commander Lt. Gen. Asit Mistry.
The national flag was hoisted after the arrival of all guests of honour.
The family members of Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala (Posthumous) of the Indian Air Force (IAF), who died fighting militants in Kashmir valley, received India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, Ashok Chakra.
This is the third Ashok Chakra for the IAF and its first for ground combat.
PM Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind.
President of India Ram Nath Kovind arrives, escorted by 46 bodyguards on Bay and Dark Bay coloured mounts. Raised in 1773, the President's bodyguard is the oldest and senior-most regiment of the Indian Army. - PIB
The guests of honour are being welcomed by Mr. Modi to the Republic Day parade.
PM pays tribute
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Rajpath and paid his tributes at Amar Jawan Jyoti. The eternal flame burns to commemorate the indomitable courage of our Armed Forces who made the supreme sacrifice for the motherland. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and three service chiefs were also present at the site.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today tweeted, "Greetings on #RepublicDay. Jai Hind."
There will be a march past by the Army personnel carrying the ASEAN flag at the Republic Day parade, where 23 tableaux, including those representing various states, ministries, the All India Radio (AIR) among others, will roll down the Rajpath.
The capital city New Delhi has been wrapped in an unprecedented security blanket with thousands of security personnel keeping a hawk-eyed vigil to prevent any terror strike or untoward incident during the celebrations. - PTI
Multiple chief guests, a first
The presence of the entire ASEAN leadership for Republic Day is a sign that the decades-old bond between India and the regional grouping has reached a new strategic level.
Just as the presence of U.S. President Barack Obama as the chief guest at Republic Day in 2015 sent a signal to the rest of the world, the ASEAN leaders’ participation has a resonance of its own.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted a letter to the nation. Mr. Gandhi called for justice for all, liberty to express freely, equality of opportunity, fraternity between each Indian as equal individuals and called for renewing a lifelong pledge to protect constitution, the keystone and to defend it as one, whenever it is endangered.
President Ram Nath Kovind, delivered his first Republic Day-eve address to the nation on January 25. “A disciplined and morally upright nation is built by disciplined and morally-upright institutions. Institutions that respect their fraternal relationship with other institutions," he said.
