Indian Army marks 78th Army Day with grand parade and high-tech Display in Jaipur
New Delhi, January 15. The Indian Army celebrated its 78th Army Day in a spectacular show of military strength, technology and public participation at Mahal Road in Jaipur on January 15, taking the annual parade outside Delhi for the fourth time and for the first time into the heart of a city.
The day began with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at Prerna Sthal, where Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi paid tribute to fallen soldiers. Wreaths were also laid on behalf of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy by Air Vice Marshal M Bandhopadhyay and Commodore P Verma.
General Dwivedi, who reviewed the parade, led a moving ceremony in which five Sena Medals (Posthumous) for Gallantry were presented to the next of kin of soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty.
The Jaipur event was hosted by the South Western Command, marking its first time hosting the parade since the Army decided to take the celebrations beyond traditional cantonment areas to reach out to citizens across the country. The parade route stretched from Akshay Patra Circle to Bombay Hospital, drawing more than one lakh spectators, whose enthusiastic presence underlined the strong bond between the Army and the people.
Showcase of a future-ready force
The parade highlighted the Army’s transformation into a technology-driven, future-ready force, with a strong focus on indigenous systems and next-generation warfare. More than 30 entities took part in the march-past, including seven marching contingents representing regimental centres such as the Madras Regiment, Rajput Regiment, Regiment of Artillery, Mixed Scouts Contingent, and a NCC Girls Contingent.
In a first, two Bhairav Battalion contingents from Rajputana Rifles and Sikh Light Infantry participated, symbolising the Army’s shift towards lean, agile and high-impact units designed for rapid operations along India’s borders.
A fly-past by Army helicopters, including Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Weapon Systems Integrated (WSI) helicopters and Apache attack helicopters, added to the spectacle.
International and cultural dimension
The parade also reflected India’s defence diplomacy, with the Nepal Army Band joining Indian military bands, symbolising the enduring friendship and shared military traditions between the two neighbours.
Seven military bands from various regimental centres, along with a mixed band of NCC boys and girls, performed during the event, while cultural performances such as Kalbelia and Gair folk dances of Rajasthan and a Chenda drum display by the Madras Regiment added colour and regional flavour to the celebrations.
Display of cutting-edge military hardware
One of the main attractions was the massive display of modern military equipment and weapon systems, many of which were recently employed in Operation Sindoor. The showcase included T-90 and Arjun tanks, BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles, and artillery systems such as SMERCH, K-9 Vajra, Dhanush, ATAGS, GRAD BM and Pinaka rocket systems.
Air defence and protection systems such as Akash missiles, upgraded Schilka and Shaktibaan were also displayed, along with BrahMos cruise missiles, ULH M777 howitzers, Milan missile launchers, and medium-range surface-to-air missiles.
The Army also demonstrated its growing focus on autonomy and unmanned warfare, featuring robotic mules, all-terrain vehicles, vehicle-based infantry mortar systems, and a wide array of drones and counter-drone systems, including Switch UAVs, Prabal C-UAS, Sanjay, Pralay and Baaz armed drones.
