India will tomorrow celebrate its 66th Republic Day, showcasing before the chief guest US President Barack Obama and the world its military might and cultural diversity with a splendid display of land and naval weaponry, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.

With ‘Women’s Empowerment’ being the theme of this year’s Republic Day parade, the main attraction of the annual extravaganza would be marching contingents of all-women officers of the three Services.

Defence sources say the thought of having an all-women contingent came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself as he wanted the Services to focus on ‘Nari Shakti’.

Tableaux from 16 States and nine central ministries and departments will present the varied historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the country.

The theme of most of the tableaux this year will have imprints of the Prime Minister’s pet projects such as ‘Jan Dhan Yojna’, ‘Maa Ganga’, ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, bullet train and the ‘Make in India’ drive.

Another attraction would be the display of the Army version of the indigenously developed surface-to-air Akash medium range missile and the Weapon Locating Radar, both by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

For the first time, India will display its recently acquired long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine P-8I aircraft and the long-range advanced MiG-29K fighter plane.

The Indian Army’s laser-guided missile capable T-90 Bheeshma tank, infantry combat vehicle BMP-II (Sarath), followed by the T-72 with Trawl will be the main draw in the mechanised columns.

These will be followed by the ‘Pinaka’ multiple barrel launcher system. The Mobile Autonomous Launcher of the BRAHMOS missile system, the three dimensional tactical control radar, a satellite on the move communication platform and a rapidly deployable satellite terminal (RADSAT) would come next.

An Indian Air Force tableau with the theme ‘50 years of 1965 War’ will follow them at the majestic Rajpath.

The IAF has proudly put on display aircraft which have proved their prowess in the 1965 Indo-Pak war — the Gnat, the Vampire, followed by the Canberra bomber, the MI-4 helicopter and the Packet transport aircraft.

In keeping with the Indian Navy’s theme ‘Ensuring Safe Seas for a Resurgent Nation’ — the Naval Tableau will display a few of its frontline assets in all four dimensions of maritime warfare.

The Navy’s march to self-reliance and indigenisation will be showcased by models of the indigenously constructed destroyer INS Kolkata launching a BrahMos missile with the Advanced Light Helicopter ‘Dhruv’ in the background.

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