Foreign dignitary unlikely at Republic Day parade, 24,000 people to be in attendance
India

Foreign dignitary unlikely at Republic Day parade, 24,000 people to be in attendance

India was planning to invite leaders of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, but parade may not have any chief guest, sources in defence establishment said.

   
Indian Navy personnel in ceremonial uniform participate in Republic Day parade rehearsal at Rajpath, in New Delhi on 11 January 2022 | Photo: ANI

Indian Navy personnel in ceremonial uniform participate in Republic Day parade rehearsal at Rajpath, in New Delhi on 11 January 2022 | Photo: ANI

New Delhi: Approximately 24,000 people will be permitted to attend the Republic Day parade on January 26 this year given the COVID-19 situation in the national capital, sources in the defence establishment said on Saturday.

In 2020, before the pandemic struck India, around 1.25 lakh people were permitted to attend the parade, they noted.

Last year’s Republic Day parade took place amid the Covid pandemic and close to 25,000 people were allowed to attend it, sources mentioned.

Like last year, this time too the parade may not have any foreign dignitary as the chief guest due to the pandemic, they said, adding India was planning to invite the leaders of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan.

Out of the approximately 24,000 people who will be attending the parade this year, 19,000 would be invited and the rest would be the general public, who can purchase tickets, sources said.

All COVID-19 protocols will be followed at the parade. Social distancing norms would be followed while making the seating arrangements, they mentioned, adding sanitiser dispensers will be available everywhere and wearing masks would be compulsory.

This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.


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