All You Need To Know About The Commanders Leading Republic Day Parade Contingents

For Lt Amit Choudhary, a second-generation Army officer, leading a mixed Scouts contingent at this year’s Republic Day Parade on the Kartavya Path will be both a professional milestone and a deeply personal

moment.

The young officer from the Arunachal Scouts will march where his father once did — as part of the Brigade of the Guards contingent during the 1990 Republic Day Parade. On Friday, Lt Choudhary and his contingent participated in the full-dress rehearsal amid rain, dressed in specialised multi-layer uniforms, snow boots and polarised sunglasses designed for high-altitude and extreme-weather operations.

“I have always dreamt of being part of the parade. As a child, I would watch it on television and march around at home,” Lt Choudhary said during a media interaction after the rehearsal. “To now lead a contingent, knowing my father stood here decades ago, is very special.”

Army’s operational focus on display

Senior Army officers said this year’s parade will showcase the force’s evolving operational capabilities. Major General Navraj Dhillon, Chief of Staff, Delhi Area, said a special Army tableau themed on the Integrated Operation Centre will commemorate Operation Sindoor and highlight India’s strategic planning processes.

In addition to the mixed Scouts contingent in an operational role, five other Army marching contingents — the Rajput Regiment, Assam Regiment, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, Regiment of Artillery and Bhairav Battalion — will take part.

Key defence assets on display will include the BrahMos missile, Akash air defence system, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM), Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Dhanush artillery gun, Shaktiban Regiment, Divyastra Battery, the ‘Suryastra’ Universal Rocket Launcher System, unmanned ground vehicles and a static display of drones mounted on various platforms.

Marking a first, personnel from the mounted 61 Cavalry will appear in battle gear rather than ceremonial dress. Army platforms, including indigenous systems accompanied by personnel, will roll down the Kartavya Path in a phased battle array formation.

Generations in uniform

A strong theme among several contingent commanders is multi-generational military service.

Capt Samira Z. Buttar, who will lead the Integrated Operation Centre contingent, said the honour carries deep family significance. A fourth-generation Army officer, she follows in the footsteps of her father, grandfather Brig Sampuran Singh, and great-grandfather.

“My grandfather fought in the 1965 war and was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra and the Vir Chakra,” she said, adding that the tableau would include a surprise element for spectators.

Capt Ahaan Kumar, 26, will once again lead the iconic 61 Cavalry contingent, mounted on his charger Ranveer. The grandson of a war veteran and son of Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area and the Parade Commander, he said this year’s experience will be different.

“Last year we wore ceremonial uniforms and carried swords. This time, we’re in battle gear, so it feels like a completely new parade,” he said.

Animals, technology and ‘silent warriors’

The 90-minute parade will feature 18 marching contingents and 13 bands. An animal contingent comprising Zanskar ponies, Bactrian camels, raptors and Army dogs will also take part.

Capt Harshita Raghav, who will lead the Remount Veterinary Corps contingent, described animals as “silent warriors” and “true force multipliers” of the Indian Army. A native of Bhopal, she is among the first batch of women officers in the RVC, following her father’s service in the Indian Air Force.

Capt Vikas Yadav, a third-generation Army officer serving with the 4th Battalion of 1 Gorkha Rifles, will lead a contingent showcasing unmanned ground vehicles. He said the systems are used for surveillance, logistics and combat support, capable of self-navigation, carrying mission-specific payloads and reducing risks to human and animal combatants.