Army Day 2026: Where To Watch The Parade Today, Key Events And Other Important Details

India is celebrating Army Day today to honour the courage of the Indian Army. For the unversed, this day is celebrated every year on January 15 to pay tribute to dedicated Indian soldiers and to celebrate their

selfless service to the nation. The day marks the historic handover of command in 1949, when Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, succeeding General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief. This transition symbolised India's complete independence in matters of defence. Field Marshal Cariappa, a distinguished officer who had earned recognition for his leadership in World War 2 and the 1947-48 Indo-Pakistani War, symbolized India’s military sovereignty.The day summarizes national pride with parades, laying of wreaths and showcasing military strength. Here is everything you need to know.

Where To Watch Army Day 2026 Parade Today?

The Army Day parade will be held at Mahal Road in Jaipur's Jagatpura. This parade is a celebration to display a wide array of weapons, military vehicles, drones and advanced defence systems. The parade can be live streamed from 9:00 AM onwards on YouTube channel of the Indian Army.Since 2023, however, the army day parade has been rotated to different cities across the country, with Bengaluru hosting it in 2023 and Lucknow in 2024. This year, the honour has been given to Jaipur. According to ANI, this year, the display will include army's artillery, missile and rocket capabilities and launcher systems, including the BrahMos cruise missile, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher, upgraded BM-21 Grad multi-barrel rocket launcher, the SMERCH system and Universal Rocket Launcher System (URLS), also known as Suryastra. Among air defence capabilities on showcase, indigenous Akashteer system and Igla man-portable air defence system will serve as the highlight of the show.The key events of today's parade will include:

• Laying wreaths at the National War Memorial.
• Risky Army Service Corps maneuvers.
• Such honors as Param Vir Chakra gallantry awards.
• Live telecast on Doordarshan.

Theme For Army Day 2026

The theme for 2026 is Year of Networking and Data Centricity. It highlights the digitalization of the Indian Army, which is centralized on AI-driven warfare, cyber resilience and integrated battle management systems.