Bactrian camels to Zanskar ponies: ‘Animal soldiers’ to join 6k military personnel at R-Day parade; S400 to be displayed, EU contingent to participate

New Delhi: From Bactrian camels to Zanskar ponies, a rare contingent of “animal soldiers” will for the first time be seen marching down Kartavya Path joining the 6,050 military personnel during the 90-minute Republic Day parade on Monday.

They will be under the command of Captain Harshita Yadav, daughter of a retired IAF officer, and from the first batch of Indian Army’s Remount & Veterinary Corps.




Speaking to TOI, she said, “This contingent is very uniquely curated. There are two Bactrian camels from Ladakh, four Zanskar ponies, four raptors (specially-trained birds of prey), 10 military dogs, mostly indigenously-bred. They are all Army soldiers and have different operational roles.”

Perfectly adapted to extreme cold, thin air and altitudes above 15,000 feet, the Bactrian camels, which are recently inducted in Army operations, can carry a load of up to 250 kg and traverse long distances in the cold deserts.

She said the Indian Army has been using indigenously-bred dogs for quite some time and they are trained basically for two purposes — detection (explosives, mine detection, tracking, search and avalanche rescue) and protection (assault on enemies). “Training of birds like kites or any animal involves neuroscience. Once you understand the science behind these animals and the training part, then these are highly trainable,” Captain Harshita said.

IAF Air Commodore Manish Sabharwal, during a Republic Day press preview on Friday, said the S-400 air defence system, which shot down multiple Pakistan aircraft and also a spy plane from a distance of over 300 km deep inside Pakistan, which is a “documented kill”, will also be showcased at the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) tableau during the parade for the first time.

The tableau will showcase India's victory in Operation Sindoor last year and the jointness of the three services displayed during the decisive action. One side will feature lethal military weapons that proved crucial during the operation. The other side will depict the destruction of the infrastructure on the side of Pakistan.

Major General Navraj Dhillon, Chief of Staff, Delhi Area, said Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar, GOC, Delhi Area, will head the parade for the fourth time.

Battalion, Shaktibaan regiment, drone shakti and robotic mules to take part in the parade for the first time, along with Ladakh Scouts,” he said. He said the Army will feature the debut of a Battle Array Formation showcasing synchronised manoeuvres alongside tanks, missile systems, drones and armoured platforms. The defence assets that will be showcased during the parade will include BrahMos, Akash missile system, Medium Range Surface-To-Air Missile (MRSAM) system, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Dhanush artillery gun, Shaktiban and a static display of some drones.

The parade will also see the debut of the Shaktiban Regiment, which has been set up in the artillery. The newly-raised regiment will be equipped with a drone, counter-drone and loiter munition. Eighteen marching contingents and 13 bands will take part in the parade.

Akash weapon system and MRSAM system are being fielded in this year's parade. Universal Rocket Launcher System URLS 'Suryastra', which can carry out surface-to-surface strikes up to 300 km, is being showcased for the first time in the parade, Maj Gen Dhillon said.

As European Council president Antonio Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will be the chief guests, a small EU contingent, comprising an officer of the colonel rank, will lead the delegation. Following him in their contingent will be four flag-bearers.

A senior military official said women’s participation is also in big numbers. CRPF’s Assistant Commandant Simran Bala will be the first woman officer to lead an all-male contingent at the parade.

Captain Samira, a fourth-generation army officer, is the commander of an Army tableau depicting the success of Op Sindoor. She told TOI the tableau will display the indigenously developed military assets and weapon systems used during the Pakistan conflict and will also highlight Atmanirbhar Bharat.

DRDO will showcase some of its path-breaking innovations for national security during the parade. Apart from displaying long-range anti-ship hypersonic missile (LR-AShM), DRDO will have a tableau 'naval technologies for combat submarines'.

A formation flying named “Operation Sindoor” comprising Rafale, Su-30, Jaguar and MiG-29 combat jets will feature in the IAF's R-Day flypast that will serve as a powerful symbol of the dominance it established during the four-day hostilities with Pakistan last May. A total of 29 aircraft, including 16 fighters, nine helicopters and four transport planes, will be part of the flypast.

A total of 30 tableaux to roll down Kartavya Path and 150 years of Vande Mataram will be the theme of the parade.
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