. New Delhi, Delhi, India
In a first, Indian Army carries out drone operations at Army Day parade
Army Day parade takes place in New Delhi and in all the six Army Command Headquaters every year. (Photo Credit: Twitter/@ANI)
- Army Day is observed on January 15 every year
- This is for the first time, drones featured at the Army Day parade
- The event was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and all three defence chiefs as well
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.
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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.