Under the shadow of COVID-19, the 2021 Republic Day parade will be a low-key affair as India still maintains its position as the world’s second worst-hit country by the deadly disease.

In view of the pandemic, the Centre has confirmed that there won’t be a foreign head of state or government as the chief guest on January 26, only the fourth time this has happened since independence in 1947. However, a team from the Bangladesh armed forces has been invited to participate in the parade to observe the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

This year National Security Guard (NSG), the elite force of India for counter-terror operations, has decided to make changes for the parade as well.

Following the COVID-19 protocols, NSG commandos will be marching with a distance of more than 1.5 metres from each other. Earlier, they used to march down Rajpath from shoulder to shoulder. 

In addition, nearly 40% of the actual strength of the commandos will participate in the Republic Day parade as compared to the previous year.

The changes come days before India completes a year of its battle against the virus that was first reported in January last year. 

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As far as the cultural programmers are concerned at Rajghat, children from four schools in Delhi and folk artists from Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata will be performing during the Republic Day parade. The number of children and folk artists participating has been cut down to 401 this year as compared to more than 600 last year keeping the subsequent restrictions in mind. 

Even after India has begun its mega-vaccination drive on January 16, COVID-19 protocols will be strictly put into place by the authorities on January 26. Only children aged above 15 years will be allowed at the parade, and there will be no standing spectators.

Only 25,000 spectators will be allowed as compared to 1.15 lakh last year, as per a report by The Print. The seating will also be distanced, with wooden elevated platforms arranged at three different height points.

Even the distance covered by the parade would be less than usual. While the parade usually goes from Vijay Chowk to the Red Fort, it will end at National Stadium this time. This means that the parade has been cut down to half – from an earlier 8.2 km to 3.3 km.

Masks, gloves and hand sanitisers will be available at the gates while thermal screening and would be thorough at all entry points.

Eight isolation booths will be set up at the venue in case anyone is detected with symptoms of COVID-19. A doctor and a paramedic would be stationed in every booth.