- President Pranab Mukjherjee presented gallantry awards
- PM Modi paid tribute at Amar Jyoti Jawan
- UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the chief guest
- NSG Black Cat Commandos participated in the parade for the first time
LCA Tejas Aircrafts made its debut
'At Home' Ceremony
PM Modi interacted with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Vice President Hamid Ansari, former PM Manmohan Singh and others while attending President Mukherjee’s ‘At Home’ ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan, on Thursday.
Tejas Makes Stunning Debut
India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) developed indigenously made their maiden appearance at the Republic Day parade.
Despite overcast conditions, three fighter jets flew at a height of 300 metres from ground at a speed of 780 km per hour in ‘VIC' formation, leaving the spectators at Rajpath boulevard in awe.
Indigenously developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency, and produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Tejas, as a fourth generation aircraft, can fly at 1,350 km per hour and is comparable to the world's best fighters, including French Mirage 2000, American F-16 and Swedish Gripen.
Also seen at the ceremony was the C-17 Globemaster III, India’s largest military transport aircraft, and 'Netra', an Airborne Early Warning and Control System aircraft also known as "Eye in the Sky".
Himachal Exhibits Ancient Art Form in R-Day Parade
Himachal Pradesh showcased an ancient art form of the state. The front of the tableau, which was displayed after three years in the parade, was a statue of a woman performing embroidery on a Chamba 'rumal' (handkerchief).
The big Millennium Gate of Chamba town also adorned the rear portion of the tableau, besides showcasing 'Rasleela', a folk dance by artistes.
The embroidery on the handkerchief originated and flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries where the Chamba school of miniature paintings got royal patronage.
Bravery Award Winning Children Cheered
Children who won the National Bravery Awards on Thursday participated in the parade to loud cheers from the spectators.
Prime Minister Modi had on Monday presented the National Bravery Awards to 25 children, four of them posthumously, from different parts of the country.