Tanks, Camels and Human Pyramids: India's Republic Day Parade
U.S. President Barack Obama will on Monday be chief guest at India's Republic Day parade, a spectacular projection of the nation's military might and cultural diversity.
Here are five things you need to know about India's 66th Republic Day:
HISTORY
January 26 marks the day in 1950 when India adopted its constitution, after gaining independence from Britain in 1947.
Every year, India hosts the leader of a foreign country as chief guest for the parade. Obama is the first U.S. president to be guest of honor.
CONTENT
The Republic Day parade is a pomp-filled spectacle that combines the Soviet-style showcasing of military hardware with carnival-style floats featuring tribal dancers and traditional music.
Columns of uniformed troops will march down New Delhi's broad Rajpath avenue as helicopters shower the crowds with petals.
State governments and ministries are selected to create tableaux on different themes, which this year include Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" campaign to boost the country's manufacturing industry and create much-needed jobs.
The tableaux will also highlight national achievements such as the launch of India's first space mission to Mars.
HIGHLIGHTS
One show-stopper is the Border Security Force (BSF) on their brightly-decorated camels -- one of only a few military forces in the world to use the animals.
The grand finale is a display of daring motorcycle stunts by the BSF, famed for their formation of a human pyramid on moving bikes, followed by a spectacular fly-past by the Indian Air Force that leaves a smoke-trail of the orange, white and green national flag.
WHAT'S NEW
All-female units from the Army, Navy and Air Force will march for the first time in this year's parade, which will feature 25 tableaux -- five more than last year.
SECURITY
Security will be particularly tight this year, with roads sealed off and the metro shut down for the duration of the parade. Snipers will be posted on rooftops along the parade route, while helicopters and surveillance drones monitor from above. Some 400 kilometers (250 miles) around the venue has been declared a no-fly zone and 15,000 new CCTV cameras have been installed.
Spectators will not be allowed to take in mobile phones, cameras, books, or even remote-control car keys.
Source: Agence France Presse
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