Republic Day 2021: There will be changes in the parade due to Covid-19.
Key sentence:
- The country is planning to show its military strength, which will be displayed as part of the annual parade.
- There’ll be some new changes to the parade due to Covid-19.
- For the very first time, the Rafale fighter jets, bought from France as well as inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) during September last year, will take part in the ceremony.
- With British Prime Minister Boris Johnson not heading to India, it will be the first R-Day march without a chief guest in over five decades.
Republic Day is already here, and the country is planning to show its military strength, which will be displayed as part of the annual parade, almost like every year.
There’ll be some new changes to the parade, but due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, the festivities this year will be distinct from those in past years.
Here is a summary of what’s going to be fresh and what’s going to be missing from the R-Day rally this year:
What will be new:
1. For the very first time, the Rafale fighter jets, bought from France as well as inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) during September last year, will take part in the ceremony. Thus far, 11 of 36 Rafale jets bought from France have been inducted by the air force.
2. Its first appearance by a female fighter pilot will also observe the parade. One of India’s first female fighter pilots, flight lieutenant Bhawana Kanth, will also be part of an IAF’s tableau which will display mock-ups of light combat aircraft (LCA), light combat helicopters (LCH) as well as Sukhoi-30 fighters.
3. The Bangladesh Armed Forces contingent, including 122 soldiers, would also participate in the rally. The very first two foreign countries that have joined in the R-Day parade are France (2016) as well as the UAE (2017).
4. The tableau of Uttar Pradesh may feature a replication of the Ram Temple, which is presently under construction in Ayodhya’s temple city In November 2019, the Supreme Court concluded the decades-long land conflict case, clearing the way for the temple to be completed.
What really missing:
1. With British Prime Minister Boris Johnson not heading to India, it will be the first R-Day march without a chief guest in over five decades. Because of the rapid increase of Covid-19 cases in the United Kingdom, Johnson, who had initially acknowledged India’s invitation, would have to cancel his visit. Before this, India did not have a chief guest for the march in 1952, 1953 as well as 1966.
2. From the 150,000 permitted last year, the number of visitors has been restricted to 25,000. The number of people in the media, too, was reduced from 300 to 200.
3. Unlike in past years, the march will go only to the C-Hexagon of India Gate National Stadium. Just the tableaux are going to go to the Red Fort.
4. The activities that have been absolutely cancelled also include the procession of veterans by retired soldiers and women, and also motorcycle stunts by army troops including personnel from the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).
5. No children under the age of 15 will be permitted on the lawns of India Gate. Even, this year there will be no enclosure for schoolkids.
