78th Army Day: Grand parade showcases technical capabilities, Atmanirbharta | Watch videos here

For the first time, Jaipur’s public streets hosted the grand Army Day parade on Thursday, highlighting the armed forces’ skills, courage, and discipline. This marked the inaugural occasion that Army Day celebrations were held publicly in Jaipur, outside the cantonment area, ANI reported.

The Army Day parade featured the various mechanical units, infantry units, paratroopers and other modern capabilities of the Army.

As reported by PTI, addressing a press conference on Army Day, COAS General Upendra Dwivedi said, “I extend my greetings to soldiers, veterans, officials, and civilians associated with Army Day. We bow before the bravehearts who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. The large presence of people shows the deep bond between the Army and the public. Your support encourages our soldiers.”

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The parade showcased the newly raised Bhairav battalion, which was part of the Army's recent restructuring, drawing operational lessons from global conflicts, including its own Operation Sindoor, ANI reported.

The Bhairav Battalion is positioned between the Para Special Forces and regular infantry units. The battalion was raised to meet modern warfare requirements to provide a quick and precise offensive solution against enemies' threats to the nation.

The battalion, in its first public appearance came out with its feet thumping the concrete and shouting its war cry with paint on their face.

“The battalion warriors, unafraid, protecting day and night, have been keeping themselves steadfast, and protecting our lands,” the announcer said while Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan Anil Chauhan saluted the whole parade.

Several other units, including the Garhwal Scouts, Sikkim Scouts, and Arunachal Scouts, also marched past the saluting dais in full gear.

The all-girls marching contingent of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), led by Senior Under Officer Kavitha Kumawar, was proudly presented, symbolizing the nation’s youth power.

The army also demonstrated its advanced capabilities, with robot dogs and all-terrain vehicles preceding the BrahMos missile, India’s indigenously developed long-range, ramjet-powered supersonic missile.

Highlighting its Artificial Intelligence, drone and technical capabilities, the Army displayed its 'Integrated Drone detection and Interdiction System (IDDIS), with the contingent being led by 401 Light AAV regiment captain Priya Yadav.

The IDDIS identifies aerial threats and then marks them as 'soft' or 'hard' kill, and either destroys them or jams them accordingly.

Combat drones were also showed, led by 624 AAV battalion's Major Anhad Singh Chatadar.

Indian Army's 'Drone Shakti' initiative was also highlighted, showing multiple drones being carried for display on the vehicle, and being led by 10 Corps' zone workshop's Major Arun Kumar. The initiative integrates artificial intelligence, robotics, as part of the indigenous drone fabrication programme.

Other systems on display also included the upgraded BM-21 Grad multi-barrel rocket launcher and the SMERCH system, which can fire 12 rockets of 300 mm calibre to ranges of up to 90 kilometres, ANI reported.

Artillery platforms such as the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System and the M777 ultra-light howitzer will also be part of the display. Other gun systems too were featured in the parade.

Air defence capabilities on showcase included the indigenous Akashteer system with its medium-range surface-to-air missiles (SAM), which proved their effectiveness in a high-threat environment during Operation Sindoor by shooting down a variety of Turkish and Chinese-origin drone systems operated by Pakistan and have since drawn global interest as combat-proven platforms. The Igla man-portable air defence system was also part of the display.

(With inputs from agencies)