Army Day parade
was marked by several mock operations, including kamikaze attacks, first-aid
delivery exercises and parachute payload delivery exercises by Indian Army’s
drones as they displayed their latest assets at the Cariappa ground on Friday. This is for the first time, drones featured at
the Army Day parade that also had detachments of the upgraded anti-aircraft
weapon system Schilka, BrahMos missile system, infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2,
T-72 bridge laying tanks and multi-rocket launcher system Pinaka.

Captain Preeti Chaudhary
of the 140 AD regiment headed the first detachment of the parade which was of
the upgraded anti-aircraft weapon system Schilka, reported PTI.

The event was attended by Chief
of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria, Navy Chief
Admiral Karambir Singh and Army Chief Gen M M Naravane who also conferred
gallantry awards and unit citations at the event.

Also read: ‘We salute the valour of our bravehearts’: Chief Naravane on 73rd Army Day

Marching contingents of
the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, Mahar Regiment, Garhwal Regiment and Jat Regiment
also participated in the parade.

The Army chief awarded unit
citations to thirteen Army officers of the Northern Command, eight officers of
the Eastern Command, one officer each of the Southern Command and the Central
Command, while 15 Army personnel received the Sena Medal, reported PTI.

Army Day is observed on
January 15 every year in recognition of Field Marshal K M Cariappa’s taking
over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from Sir Francis
Butcher, the last British Commander in 1949. The event takes place in New Delhi
and in all the six Army Command Headquaters every year.