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Jaipur will host the Indian Army Day Parade on Thursday, in a first-of-its-kind public spectacle outside a cantonment, with the Sapta Shakti Command (South Western Command) conducting the parade and managing logistics for over 8 lakh civilians.
The 2026 parade marks a significant shift in how the Army takes its premier ceremonial event to the public. While the Army Day Parade moved out of Delhi in recent years, it remained within cantonment limits in Bengaluru, Lucknow and Pune. Jaipur will be the first city to host the parade in an entirely civilian area, on the lines of the Republic Day parade, allowing unrestricted public viewing.
Headquartered in Jaipur and tasked with securing India’s western front, particularly along the Pakistan border, the Sapta Shakti Command has planned and executed the event across multiple city locations, combining operational-scale crowd management with large-scale public outreach.
“This Army Day Parade will not only showcase the Indian Army’s combat readiness but also connect the people of Rajasthan directly with their Army,” General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Lt Gen Manjinder Singh said.
In the run-up to the parade, the command organised a series of events across Jaipur, including blood donation drives, veterans’ medical camps, a ‘Know Your Army’ exhibition and band display, and the Shaurya Sandhya programme at SMS Stadium. Army officials said these events together drew close to eight lakh visitors, reflecting unprecedented civilian participation.
The main parade will feature over 30 marching and mechanised contingents, including infantry columns, horsed cavalry, NCC girl cadets, canine warriors and modern combat platforms. A flypast by Army Aviation helicopters and Indian Air Force fighter aircraft is also planned, along with paramotor displays, motorcycle stunts, military bands and cultural performances. Ambassadors and defence attachés from more than 40 countries are expected to attend.
Among the key highlights will be the first public appearance of the newly raised Bhairav Battalion, formed as part of the Army’s restructuring to meet modern battlefield requirements. Positioned between special forces and regular infantry, the Bhairav units are designed for rapid, precision offensive operations across varied and hostile terrain, drawing on lessons from recent global conflicts and India’s operational experience.
Another first for Army Day will be the parade debut of the AH-64E Apache attack helicopters of the Army Aviation Corps. The final batch of Apaches was inducted in December, completing the Army’s fleet, with the helicopters based at Jodhpur under 451 Army Aviation Squadron. The Apaches, equipped with Longbow fire-control radar and advanced night-fighting sensors, will operate alongside the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand during the aerial display.
The parade will also showcase the Army’s artillery, missile, and air defence capabilities, including BrahMos, Pinaka rocket systems, M777 ultra-light howitzers, and the indigenous Akashteer air defence system. Several unmanned platforms, drones, loitering munitions, and unmanned ground vehicles will underscore the Army’s growing focus on manned-unmanned teaming on the battlefield.
Army Day is observed every year on January 15 to commemorate the day in 1949 when General K M Cariappa took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, marking a defining moment in independent India’s military history.
Ravi Shankar
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.
