India’s 74th Republic Day Parade Live Updates: Republic Day parade kicks off with Egyptian Armed Forces contingent; Indian Army shows its might

Republic Day Parade 2023 Live Updates: Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi welcomed Murmu and her Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the Kartavya Path. This is the first time an Egyptian president has been invited to be the chief guest of the event.

India’s 74th Republic Day Parade Live Updates: As the Republic Day parade kicked off in Delhi, a guest contingent of the Egyptian Armed Forces marched down the Kartavya Path, followed by a show of strength by the Indian Army. Only made-in-India weapons are on display at the parade this year.

The indigenous 105-mm Indian Field Guns (IFG) offered the 21-gun salute to President Droupadi Murmu. Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi welcomed President Murmu and her Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the Kartavya Path

This is the first time an Egyptian president has been invited to be the chief guest of the event. Earlier, PM Modi paid tributes to martyrs at the National War Memorial. He was welcomed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Extending his greetings to the nation on the 74th Republic Day, PM Modi earlier said, “We wish to move ahead unitedly to make the dreams of the great freedom fighters of the country come true.”

Why does India celebrate Republic Day with a military parade?

As India marks its 74th Republic Day, we take a look at the history of the famous parade that has become a cornerstone of R-Day celebrations.

For most Indians, the parade in New Delhi remains Republic Day’s most enduring symbol. A grand show of India’s military might, as well as its diverse culture, the Republic Day parade holds a close place in many Indian hearts.

But why do the celebrations include a parade at all? What does a military parade have to do with promulgating the constitution? We explain.

Military parades: public shows of power since ancient times

There is a historical link between strong displays of soldiers and weaponry, and national pride. Accounts dating as far back as the Mesopotamian civilisation mention marching soldiers. Through the sacred Gate of Ishtar in Babylon, returning warrior kings would march into the city down a passage flanked by 60 giant lion statues on either side, with murals of the gods smiling upon them. In the heydey of the Roman Empire, victorious generals would lead a procession into the capital, surrounded by frenzied crowds on all sides.

The reason being, through the grand show of force that an organised marching contingent of soldiers displayed, legacies of triumph and near-mystical power were forged in the minds of onlookers and beyond. As empires gave way to nation-states, the tone of the military parade continued to remain the same. With rising nationalism in Europe in the 19th century, military parades became national symbols that were supposed to capture the collective frenzy of a nation’s inhabitants into feelings of nationalism.

A military parade marked India’s first Republic Day in 1950. At the time, the country’s leaders wanted to commemorate the occasion as a day of national celebration. While the day marked India’s new constitution officially coming into effect, leaders saw it as a day of victory for the Indian state and its people – victory against colonial rule and the coming of a new, sovereign and strong republic. Thus, the military parade was chosen as an integral part of Republic Day celebrations.