New Delhi:
As India celebrates Republic Day today, the parade at the Kartavya Path in Delhi will be ‘women-centric’, indicating the roles played by women in various sectors. For the first time, the parade will be heralded by 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments. The parade would commence with the music of Sankh, Naadswaram, Nagada, etc. to be played by women artists. French President Emmanuel Macron is the chief guest at the parade.
The theme of this year’s Republic Day is ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat: Loktantra ki Matruka’, which symbolise the country’s aspirations and its role as the nurturer of democracy.
This year, India is commemorating its 75th Republic Day, marking the adoption of the constitution on January 26, 1950, and the attainment of sovereignty. The constituent assembly held its first session in December 1946 and the last session in November 1949, following which the constitution was enacted a year later with Dr BR Ambedkar as the head of the drafting committee.
Here are the LIVE Updates on 75th Republic Day Celebration:
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In view of the new threat elements received this year, different types of security arrangements have been made for Republic Day, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak said.
“Like every other year, Republic Day is being celebrated with joy and fervour this year. The Delhi police have a focused responsibility on this special day. Different units of police have been deployed at the Kartavya Path and its adjoining areas with focused and specific roles and responsibilities,” he added.
He further said that threat perception is of a very high degree this year.
“Many VIPs will come. Invitees, the general public, special invites–all these should be facilitated politely and courteously, and there should not be any lapse in security. Threat perception is of a very high degree. Intelligence agencies, Delhi Police, and central agencies have been receiving many types of information. By keeping all that information in the account, strong security arrangements have been made,” he said.
“VVIP means Head of State, Prime Minister, President, Vice President, Cabinet Ministers, all VIPs, constitutional heads have come; that is also a challenge. A total security plan has been made and implemented on the ground,” CP Pathak added.
The national capital has been placed under a blanket of security for the 75th Republic Day celebrations on Friday with more than 70,000 personnel deployed across the city, police have said.
Police have also issued an advisory on traffic arrangements while restrictions have been put in place, especially in central Delhi, for the smooth movement of vehicles in the city on Friday.
As many as 14,000 personnel have been deployed at and around Kartavya Path for the security of the Republic Day parade, they said, adding that around 77,000 invitees are expected at Kartavya Path to watch this year’s parade.
#WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan: Government buildings, major roads and monuments illuminated on the occasion of 75th Republic Day pic.twitter.com/qEmGXXVcx6
– ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2024
Anji Khad bridge- first cable-stayed bridge of Indian Railways connecting the Katra and Reasi sections of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla-Rail-Link (USBRL) illuminated in tricolour on the occasion of 75th Republic Day.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been lit up in tricolour to celebrate India’s 75th Republic Day.
“On the eve of the 75th Republic Day, the Embassy is lit in tricolour,” the embassy wrote on X on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Thursday organised a photo exhibition on the making of the Constitution of India. The exhibition was displayed at Alisher Navoi National Library, Tashkent.
During the exhibition, Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Manish Prabhat presented a copy of the Constitution of India in the Uzbek language to the Director of Library Umida Teshabayeva. Students from Shastri School, Tashkent recited Indian songs and Hindi poetry.
“Amb @manishprabhat06 presented a copy of the Constitution of India in Uzbek language to Director of Library Umida Teshabayeva. Students from Shastri School, Tashkent recited Indian songs and Hindi poetry,” the embassy wrote on ‘X’.
Celebrating India’s 75th Republic Day, the Google Doodle showcased the parades, through the decades, on different screens: a black-and-white television set, a colour TV, and a mobile phone.
The doodle featured by guest artist Vrinda Zaveri depicted the Republic Day parade as it would have been seen on different screens.
Last year, Gujarat-based artist Parth Kothekar crafted an intricately hand-cut paper artwork to illustrate Google Doodle on the occasion of India’s 74th Republic Day.
Many elements of the Republic Day parade were represented in the artwork including the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the India Gate, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) marching contingent, and motorcycle riders.
As the world’s largest Democracy celebrate its 75th Republic Day on Friday, here are the things that showcase India’s ‘Atmanirbharta in Defence’ sector.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced the allocation of record 75 per cent (approximately Rs one lakh crore) of the defence capital procurement budget for domestic industry in FY 2023-24, a sizeable jump from 68 per cent in 2022-23.
The Defence Minister also released the Fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) of Department of Military Affairs (DMA) comprising 98 items, during the plenary session of `Swavlamban 2.0′.
- The Republic Day parade will commence at 10.30 am and run for a duration of approximately 90 minutes.
- The ceremony will start with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath.
- Thereafter, Prime Minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path to witness the parade.
- After this President Murmu and her French counterpart Macron will be escorted by the President’s Bodyguard, the senior most Regiment of the Indian Army.
- The two Presidents will arrive in the ‘traditional buggy’, a practice which is making a comeback after a gap of 40 years, the Defence Ministry said.
- The National Flag will be unfurled, followed by the National Anthem with a booming 21-gun salute given with indigenous gun system 105-mm Indian Field Guns.
Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, also congratulated India on its 75th Republic Day.
“Warmest congratulations on the #RepublicDay, India! Wishing our Indian friends prosperity, well-being and very bright #AmritKaal! Long live #Bharat! Long live Rusi-Bharatiya Dosti!” the Russian Ambassador wrote on X.
The United States has extended Republic Day wishes to India, calling the country a key strategic partner of the US.
“I would just note that – would wish a happy Indian Republic Day to anybody tuning in. India is a country – it is a key strategic partner of the United States and one that we look forward to closening our collaboration in a number of key areas on. And this is – was quite indicative in – during Prime Minister Modi’s state visit here to the United States this past summer,” the US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said during a press briefing on Thursday (US local time).
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday congratulated the people of India on the country’s 75th Republic Day and hoped to deepen the “vibrant people-to-people ties between our nations”.
In a statement, he said the past year has been marked by important milestones in “our Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, including our cooperation throughout India’s successful G20 Presidency and at the G20 Leaders’ Summit”.
“In the year ahead, we look forward to further deepening the vibrant people-to-people ties between our countries and advancing our ambitious agenda for cooperation on our most vital priorities,” he said.