Jaipur: For the first time, the Army Day parade was held outside a military cantonment, with Mahal Road in Jaipur, Rajasthan, serving as the venue where thousands of people gathered to witness the grand display of the Indian Army’s strength and modern warfare capabilities.
The parade, held in Jagatpura, featured BrahMos missiles, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, Bhishma and Arjun tanks, and advanced combat systems moving through public roads.
In the sky, Apache attack helicopters performed tactical manoeuvres, while Jaguar fighter jets, which took off from Nal Airbase in Bikaner, flew over the parade route. The three-kilometre-long parade stretched from Jeevan Rekha Hospital Chowk to Bombay Hospital Chowk.
Thousands of people attended the event, with parking arrangements made at 18 designated locations. The parade began with the posthumous awarding of gallantry medals to soldiers martyred in Operation Sindoor.
After this, officers decorated with Ashok Chakra, Param Vir Chakra, and Maha Vir Chakra led the parade and saluted the parade commander.
Key highlights of the parade included Bhishma Tank (T-90) which is equipped with a 125 mm smoothbore gun capable of firing four types of ammunition, including missiles with a range of up to 5 km; Arjun Tank, developed under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, featuring a 120 mm rifled gun; 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun; and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.
Also, there were Armoured Troop Carriers designed to transport soldiers safely in combat zones while protecting them from aerial threats and gunfire across deserts, mountains, and difficult terrain.
There was a Robotic Dog capable of navigating steep slopes, rough terrain, and high-altitude areas using advanced sensors and cameras.
A 46-metre Modular Bridgew was exhibited, which is a rapidly deployable mechanical bridge system demonstrated during the parade to showcase quick river and ditch crossing capabilities.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan arrived at the venue around 10 a.m. Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari, senior ministers, and top Army officials were also present on the occasion.
The Army Day parade in Jaipur marked a significant step in bringing the Armed Forces closer to the public, allowing citizens to witness firsthand the courage, sacrifice, and technological strength of the Indian Army.
(IANS)
