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Sunday, August 17, 2025
TopicBeating the retreat

Topic: Beating the retreat

Nearly 1,000 drones by IIT-Delhi startup to feature during Beating Retreat ceremony

Defence ministry officials claimed that India will be the 4th country to put up an indigenously designed and conceptualised drone show of this size after China, Russia & US.

Indian popular tunes that are pushing out colonial martial music at Beating the Retreat

The Beating the Retreat ceremony this year featured Bollywood songs like Lakshya and Ae Mere Pyaare Watan.

Beating the Retreat — a musical military tradition celebrating the Republic for 7 decades

Tracing its origins to early 1950s, Beating the Retreat is held on 29 January at Vijay Chowk every year to conclude Republic Day celebrations.

J Ranade on India-China’s ‘cosmetic’ ties, Valson Thampu calls out ‘arbitrary exclusion’

The best of the day’s opinion, chosen and curated by ThePrint’s top editors.

‘Focus on more Indian tunes’ — Vande Mataram to replace Abide With Me at Beating Retreat

Abide With Me has traditionally concluded annual 45-minute performance of military music as last event of Republic Day celebrations at Vijay Chowk in Delhi.

Pakistani cricketer’s thigh-tapping antic is the latest ‘fake show’ at Wagah border

Introduced in 1959, the 45-minute flag-lowering ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border was a low-key affair for decades but now draws hundreds of visitors daily.

On Camera

China wants to create new order in Myanmar. India must switch gears or be dealt out of the game

India’s policy on Myanmar has been to deal with its Generals and maintain a distance from the country’s insurgent groups and political struggles. This will have to change.

Modi’s ‘Diwali bonanza’ for the common man—next-gen GST reforms, lower tax on daily-use items soon

Finance ministry says the proposed revamp will focus on structural reforms, rate rationalisation & ease of living, & will be deliberated upon in the coming weeks.

What is Project Sudarshan Chakra, announced by Modi from ramparts of Red Fort

The project is meant to be a ‘protective shield that will keep expanding’, the PM said. It is on the lines of the ‘Golden Dome’ announced by Trump, it is learnt.

War of IAF, PAF doctrines: As Pakistan obsesses over numbers, India embraces risk, wins

Now that both IAF and PAF have made formal claims of having shot down the other’s aircraft in the 87-hour war in May, we can ask a larger question: do such numbers really matter?