The S-400 air defence missile system, credited with safeguarding India during the military conflict with Pakistan in May last year, will be displayed for the first time at the Republic Day parade on January 26, 2026.
The system will feature in the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) tableau, Air Commodore Manish Sabharwal said.
Role During Operation Sindoor
The advanced missile system was effectively deployed during Operation Sindoor.
In August last year, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh confirmed that India’s S-400 system shot down five Pakistani fighter jets during the operation, which targeted terror infrastructure and was launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Tri-Services Tableau Theme
This year, the Department of Military Affairs is presenting the “Tri-Services Tableau – Operation Sindoor”, highlighting operational coordination and successful joint missions by the Indian armed forces.
Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar will lead the Republic Day parade for the fourth consecutive year, Major General Navraj Dhillon said on Friday.
A total of 6,050 military personnel will take part in the parade. Military assets including Bhairav, Shaktibaan, UGV and ATAGS will also be showcased.
30 tTableaux To Roll Down Kartavya Path
Altogether, 30 tableaux will roll down Kartavya Path during the 77th Republic Day parade in New Delhi. These include 17 tableaux from States and Union Territories and 13 from various Ministries, Departments and Services.
Themes Of Republic Day Celebrations
According to a Ministry of Defence release, this year’s celebrations will unfold under the themes ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
The tableaux will commemorate 150 years of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ and highlight India’s progress driven by growing self-reliance, while reflecting the country’s cultural diversity.
Participating States And Ministries
Participating tableaux include:
- Assam – Asharikandi: Terracotta Craft Village of Assam
- Chhattisgarh – The Mantra of Freedom: Vande Mataram
- Gujarat – Mantra of Swadeshi: Self-Reliance, Freedom
- Kerala – Water Metro and 100 per cent Digital Literacy
- Maharashtra – Ganeshotsav
- Manipur – Towards Prosperity
- Nagaland – The Hornbill Festival: Celebrating Culture, Tourism and Self-Reliance
- Tamil Nadu – Mantra of Prosperity
Among the central ministries, tableaux will be presented by the Ministry of Culture with ‘Vande Mataram – The Soul Cry of a Nation’ and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting with ‘Bharat Katha’.
