Last Updated: January 26, 2024, 08:46 IST
French President Emmanuel Macron wishes India on its 75th Republic Day celebrations. (Image: X/@EmmanuelMacron)
Tune into CNN-News18’s YouTube page on January 26 which will serve as your one-stop shop to witness the extended celebration as India is immersed in festivities since the opening of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir.
It’s double the celebration on January 26 this time as India celebrates 75th Republic Day three days after the grand inauguration of much-awaited Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. After temple’s opening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that R-day celebrations have now “widened” and the “auspicious” festivities of January 22 have also become part of the “festival of democracy”.
Tune into CNN-News18’s YouTube page on January 26 which will serve as your one-stop shop to witness this extended celebration. With an extensive team of reporters on the ground in New Delhi, CNN-News18’s YouTube page will bring you the minute-to-minute action from Kartavya Path.
India is set to display its military might and rich cultural heritage at the Kartavya Path in the heart of the national capital. The grand celebrations, with an overarching theme of projecting the nation’s women power and democratic values, will be graced by French President Emmanuel Macron as the chief guest.
President Droupadi Murmu will lead the nation in celebrating Republic Day with a 90-minute parade on the ceremonial boulevard — Kartavya Path. The armed forces will display an array of home-grown weaponry and military equipment such as missiles, drone jammers, surveillance systems, vehicle-mounted mortars and BMP-II infantry combat vehicles at the parade.
For the first time, an all-women tri-services contingent will be part of the event. Also, the parade will be heralded by over 100 women artistes playing Indian musical instruments such as Sankh, Naadswaram, and Nagada for the first time instead of the traditional military bands.
The ceremony will start with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. Minutes later, President Murmu and her French counterpart Macron will arrive in the ‘traditional buggy’, a practice that is making a comeback after a gap of 40 years, the defence ministry said.