The advanced air defence system played a critical role in neutralizing Pakistani fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft during military operations. Reports indicate that the S-400 successfully engaged multiple fighters and a spy plane at distances exceeding 300 kilometers deep inside Pakistan during India’s four-day border confrontation with Pakistan, earning recognition from the armed forces as a game changer.
Operation Sindoor, initiated on May 7 following a terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam that resulted in 26 fatalities, struck terror infrastructure throughout Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), ending with a ceasefire on May 10.
This year, the Department of Military Affairs will present the “Tri-Services Tableau-Operation Sindoor,” highlighting inter-service collaboration and the achievements of the Indian armed forces.
Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar will lead the Republic Day parade for the fourth straight year. A total of 6,050 military personnel will participate in the ceremonial procession. Prominent defence platforms, including Bhairav, Shaktibaan, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), will also be displayed in the parade.
Thirty tableaux will proceed along Kartavya Path during the 77th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on January 26. These comprise 17 tableaux from States and Union Territories and 13 from various Ministries, Departments, and Services.
According to the Ministry of Defence, this year’s Republic Day celebrations will emphasize the themes ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. The tableaux will showcase a combination of 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram and India’s accelerated advancement fueled by increasing self-reliance across sectors, while demonstrating the country’s diverse and dynamic cultural heritage.
Beyond the military, this year’s parade will feature tableaux from Assam – Asharikandi – Terracotta Craft Village of Assam; Chhattisgarh – The Mantra of Freedom – Vande Mataram; Gujarat – Mantra of Swadeshi – Self-Reliance – Freedom: Vande Mataram; Kerala – Water Metro & 100 per cent Digital Literacy; Maharashtra – Ganeshotsav; Manipur – Towards Prosperity; Nagaland – The Hornbill Festival – Celebrating Culture, Tourism & Self-Reliance; Tamil Nadu – Mantra of Prosperity; Ministry of Culture – Vande Mataram – The Soul Cry of a Nation; Ministry of Information & Broadcasting – Bharat Katha.