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The Indian Air Force (IAF) will showcase a special fighter formation named ‘Sindoor’ during the aerial flypast at the 77th Republic Day celebrations on January 26, underlining the air force’s combat readiness and recalling the success of Operation Sindoor carried out last May.
The ‘Sindoor’ formation will comprise seven frontline fighter aircraft, two Rafales, two Sukhoi-30 MKIs, two MiG-29s and one Jaguar. Details of the formation were shared by Group Captain Dharmendra Singh while briefing the media ahead of the parade.
In all, 29 aircraft will take part in the Republic Day flypast, including 16 fighter jets, four transport aircraft and nine helicopters. The flypast will feature a series of formations, including Sindoor, Dhwaj, Prahar, Garud, Arjan, Varuna and Vajrang.
As part of the commemorative display, one of the formations will carry the flag of Operation Sindoor, the high-precision tri-services military operation conducted between May 7 and May 10, which marked a significant phase in India’s recent military engagement with Pakistan.
Agniveer Participation
The Republic Day parade will also see the participation of 66 Agniveers, including nine women Agniveers, as part of the IAF band contingent.
Flying Officer Akshita Dhankar and Flying Officer Shiv S. Shekhawat will unfurl the National Flag alongside President Droupadi Murmu during the ceremonial proceedings.
The IAF’s 144-member marching contingent will be led by Squadron Leader Jagdesh Kumar, with musical support from the Air Force band.
Team BharatShakti
Dr Ravi Shankar has over two decades of experience in communications, print journalism, electronic media, documentary film making and new media.
He makes regular appearances on national television news channels as a commentator and analyst on current and political affairs. Apart from being an acknowledged Journalist, he has been a passionate newsroom manager bringing a wide range of journalistic experience from past associations with India’s leading media conglomerates (Times of India group and India Today group) and had led global news-gathering operations at world’s biggest multimedia news agency- ANI-Reuters. He has covered Parliament extensively over the past several years. Widely traveled, he has covered several summits as part of media delegation accompanying the Indian President, Vice President, Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister across Asia, Africa and Europe.
