6 Indians to be part of French marching squad on Republic Day:
In 2016, a group of 130 troops from the French army participated in the parade for the first time, marching along Rajpath, which is now known as Kartavya Path.The 95-member French military contingent participating in the 75th Republic Day parade, which will feature French President Emmanuel Macron as the chief guest, will include 6 Indians to be part of French marching squad on Republic Day, an elite cadre made up of foreign volunteers paid by France, officials announced on Tuesday.
It was announced by the officials that two of the ten women army officers who were commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery for the first time last year will be leading roles in India’s largest ceremonial march.
The French Foreign Legion is an integrated fighting force that accounts for 9,000 soldiers from 140 countries, and six volunteers from India will take part in the parade on January 26, said Captain Louis Noel, who will lead the French marching group. The French air force’s Airbus A330 MRTT (multi-role tanker transport) and two Rafale fighters will also participate in the Republic Day flyby.
“Our participation in the parade is a testament to India and France’s solid military alliance.” It will allow us to fortify our military connections even more. The contingent is looking forward to the march, he said, consisting of six Indians and six Nepalis. There will also be a 33-piece French band participating in the procession.
According to the officials, who wished to remain anonymous, the Indian members of the French marching squad are Sujan Pathak, Dipak Arya, Parbin Tandan, Gurvachan Singh, Aniket Ghartimagar, and Vikas Djeassegar.
According to the officials, who wished to remain anonymous, the Indian members of the French marching squad are Sujan Pathak, Dipak Arya, Parbin Tandan, Gurvachan Singh, Aniket Ghartimagar, and Vikas Djeassegar.
In 2016, a group of 130 troops from the French army participated in the parade for the first time, marching along Rajpath, which is now known as Kartavya Path. The main visitor at the time was French President Francois Hollande. Then came a contingent from the United Arab Emirates in 2017, the army of Bangladesh in 2021, and a marching group from Egypt in 2023.
Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Headquarters Delhi Area, will lead this year’s parade; Major General Sumit Mehta will serve as his deputy.
Mehta told a press conference that women will be the focus of the parade this year and that they will participate in 80% of the events. According to him, 100 Indian female musicians would lead the march for the first time in place of the customary military bands.
In keeping with the government’s emphasis on advancing women’s empowerment, women will participate in the fly past, marching contingents, and cultural event. According to French air force press officer Lieutenant Romain Bresson, the commander of the French contingent is also a female officer, Colonel Anne-Laure Michel, a fighter pilot, though she will not be walking down Kartavya Path.
Lieutenants Deepti Rana and Priyanka Sevda, who have just been in the military for five months, will command the parade’s Pinaka rocket system and Swathi weapon locating radar displays. These are ten of the female officers that were first commissioned into the Artillery Regiment. “The army has my sincere gratitude for providing me with this chance. It makes me feel so proud and happy,” Sevda said. Her father and grandfather were in Rajasthan police.
For the first time, the Armed Forces Medical Services will have an all-female officer contingent marching in the parade. According to Major Srishti Khullar, an eye surgeon and paratrooper who will lead the marching contingent, “the new role is quite challenging and rewarding, from holding the surgical knife to carrying a sword at the parade.”
Along with Sub Lieutenant Aashu Yadav, Flight Lieutenant Shrishti Verma, and Captain Sharanya Rao, the all-female tri-service contingent will be led by Captain Sandhya Mahla of the Corps of Military Police during the parade. Women from the three military who are Agniveers will make up the contingent. “A few of the female Agniveers just completed their training. They are in good shape, driven, and making a strong impression, Mahla remarked.Along with the standard display of T-90 tanks, BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles, rocket systems, assault bridging systems, and a variety of fighting vehicles, the medium-range surface to air missile (MRSAM) system and drone jammers will be on display for the first time, according to the officials.
6 Indians to be part of French marching squad on Republic Day:
Lieutenant Sumedha Tiwari remarked, “It’s a great honor for me to be leading that display as the MRSAM system makes its debut at the parade.”
One of the reserve officers for the parade is Lieutenant CH Enoni, a female officer from Manipur. Among the first ten female officers to be commissioned into the artillery last year was her. She thinks there is hope for peace while being concerned about the ethnic violence in her state.Leading the 144-person Indian Air Force marching contingent will be female officer Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur. The marching squad, consisting of 144 soldiers, will comprise Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil, Squadron Leader Pratiti Ahluwalia, and Squadron Leader Sumita Yadav.
The fly past will involve 56 military aircraft, including 29 fighter jets, some of which will be flown by women pilots. Fifteen women pilots, including six fighter pilots, will take part in the fly past. They will be flying Rafales, Sukhoi-30s and MiG-29s.
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The march at Kartavya Path is expected to draw about 77,000 people, among them 13,000 VIP visitors. Among the attendees will be patent holders, successful startup representatives, top achievers in diverse fields, and individuals who optimized the utilization of approximately thirty government initiatives, such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, PM Ujjwala Yojana, PM Street Vendor’s Aatmanirbhar Nidhi, and PM Fasal Bima Yojana. 6 Indians to be part of French marching squad on Republic Day