New Delhi: The Indian Armed Forces will showcase a tri-services tableau on the Kartavya Path for the first time this Republic Day. The current year being the year of ‘defence reforms’, the Department of Military Affairs will also release a ‘Vision 2047’ document by mid-year.
The announcement was made at a press briefing in Delhi Thursday by the Chief of Staff, Delhi Area, Major General Sumit Mehta.
With jointness and integration being the flavour of the current times, the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) has identified these as the key building blocks to maximise the combat potential of the armed forces in both contemporary and future conflicts.
To this effect, the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) in New Delhi has taken a “focused action” towards tri-services synergy under eight verticals to steer the reforms, Air Commodore Manish Sabharwal told the media.
To showcase this synergy during the Republic Day parade of 2025, the tri-services tableau depicts a joint operations room facilitating networking and communication between the armed forces.
A battlefield scenario displaying synchronised operations on land, air, and water, with models of the indigenously built Arjun main battle tank (MBT), Tejas Mk II fighter aircraft, advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, Indian naval ship (INS) Visakhapatnam, along with a remotely piloted aircraft, will depict the tri-services synergy in multi-domain operations.
“The indigenously developed platforms exemplify India’s self-reliance in defence technology under Atmanirbhar Bharat,” said the officer.
Among the things to be seen for the first time will be the battlefield surveillance system, part of the mechanised infantry column, and the Pralay short-range ballistic missile, part of the DRDO tableau.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be the chief guest for this year’s Republic Day parade. This is the fourth time an Indonesian President will be attending India’s Republic Day parade. Interestingly, it was an Indonesian invitee as chief guest on India’s first Republic Day parade in 1950. The Indonesian contingent will have 352 soldiers marching down the Kartavya Path.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
Also Read: India joins €7.1 bn Eurodrone as observer. Here’s what 4-nation programme is all about