JAIPUR: India’s military strength was on full display along a 3km stretch of Mahal Road in Jagatpura on Thursday as the 78th Army Day Parade was held on a public street for the first time, moving beyond the traditional confines of a cantonment.
Chief of Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi took the salute at a grand showcase of military hardware and a march-past by contingents from various regimental centres, witnessed by an estimated one lakh spectators lining the route.
At the ceremony, five soldiers were posthumously awarded Sena Medals for gallantry: Sub Maj Pawan Kumar of 25 Punjab Regiment, Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh of 625 EME Battalion, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Field Regiment, Lance Naik Subhash Kumar of 7 Jat, and Lance Naik Pradeep Kumar of 1 Para (Special Forces).
The occasion turned emotional when Lance Naik Pradeep’s mother, Ram Snehi, fainted during the honours. Soldiers nearby immediately assisted her and helped her recover.
In another first, contingents of the Bhairav Battalion from the Rajputana Rifles and the Sikh Light Infantry participated in the parade, highlighting the Army’s evolving focus on rapid, high-impact combat capabilities along international borders.
A fly-past by multiple Army helicopters added aerial spectacle to the event, which also featured a performance by the Nepal Army Band. The crowd erupted in chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” as T-90 and Arjun tanks, the upgraded Schilka air defence system, K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers, all-terrain vehicles, and the indigenous anti-tank missile Helina rolled past.
Addressing the gathering, Gen Dwivedi said the Army is continuously modernising and developing “super specialists” to meet the demands of future warfare. He explained that the Bhairav Battalion was created to bridge the operational gap between Ghatak units and Special Forces.
“The Army is fully prepared for any situation,” the Chief of Army Staff said. “What the nation needs today is equipment designed and developed in India. Indigenisation is no longer just an objective; it has become a strategic necessity.”
He added that Operation Sindoor had set “a new normal” by demonstrating the Army’s swift response, enhanced coordination and precision in action.
