Republic Day 2024: Emmanuel Macron chief guest, flag hoisting, parade time and other details. Top points

India gears up for its platinum celebration of the country’s Republic Day on Friday with an enthralling exhibition of its military prowess and rich cultural heritage at the majestic ‘Kartavya Path’ in New Delhi.

French President Emmanuel Macron, the chief guest at the 75th Republic Day celebrations, began his visit with some sightseeing in Jaipur, where he visited a 17th-century fort and an 18th-century observatory. Later, Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood in an open jeep as they were driven for about 1.5 kilometres. Large crowds lining the streets welcomed them with a shower of rose and marigold petals.

On Thursday evening, President Droupadi Murmu led the country in the grand celebrations of its journey of ‘Amrit Kaal’ that began post the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations to commemorate 75 years of the country’s independence. Follow Live Updates on Republic Day 2024 celebrations

Top points on Republic Day 2024 parade time, other details:

Republic Day parade: The parade will begin at 10.30am and run for around 90 minutes. The ceremony will start with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying tributes to martyrs. Thereafter, the prime minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path to witness the parade.

Arrival of presidents: The arrival of President Droupadi Murmu and her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron will be escorted by the President’s Bodyguard – ‘Rashtrapati Ke Angrakshak’. The President’s bodyguard is the senior-most Regiment of the Indian Army.

‘Angrakshak’: This Republic Day is special for this elite regiment as the ‘Angrakshak’ has completed 250 years of service since its raising in 1773. The two presidents will arrive in the ‘Traditional Buggy’, the practice which is making a comeback after a gap of 40 years, according to a statement by the defence ministry.

Kartavya Path: The Republic Day 2024 parade will begin following the route from Vijay Chowk to Kartavya Path. The venue will accommodate approximately 77,000 people, with 42,000 reserved for the general public.

National flag and national anthem: The national flag will be unfurled followed by the national anthem with a booming 21-gun salute given with indigenous gun system 105-mm Indian Field Guns.

Showering flower petals: Four Mi-17 IV helicopters of 105 Helicopter Unit will shower flower petals on the audience present at Kartavya Path. This will be followed by ‘Aavaahan’, a band performance by over 100 women artists playing various types of percussion instruments, symbolising Nari Shakti.

President’s salute: The parade will then begin with President Murmu taking the salute. The parade will be commanded by parade commander Lieutenant general Bhavnish Kumar, general officer commanding, Delhi area. Major general Sumit Mehta, chief of staff, HQ Delhi Area, will be the parade second-in-command.

Gallantry awards: The winners of the highest gallantry awards will follow. They include Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major (honorary captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav (retd) and subedar major Sanjay Kumar (retd), and Ashok Chakra winners major general CA Pithawalla (retd), Colonel D Sreeram Kumar and Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (retd).

French contingent: A combined band and marching contingent of the French Armed Forces will march past at Kartavya Path. A 30-member band contingent will be headed by captain Khourda, followed by a 90-member marching contingent led by captain Noel. One Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft and two Rafale fighter jets of the French Air and Space Force will fly above the contingents while they march past the saluting dais.

Indian Army contingent: The first Army contingent leading the mechanised column will be 61 Cavalry, led by major Yashdeep Ahlawat. Raised in 1953, the 61 Cavalry is the only serving active Horsed Cavalry Regiment in the world, with the amalgamation of all the ‘State Horsed Cavalry Units’. Tank T-90 Bhishma, NAG Missile System, Infantry Combat Vehicle, All-Terrain Vehicle, Pinaka, Weapon Locating Radar System ‘Swathi’, Sarvatra Mobile Bridging System, Drone Jammer System, and Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile System among others will be the main attractions in the mechanised columns.

Marching down the Kartavya Path for the first time would be an all-women tri-service contingent, led by captain Sandhya of the military police, with three supernumerary officers captain Sharanya Rao, sub lieutenant Anshu Yadav and flight lieutenant Shrishti Rao, and an all-women Armed Forces Medical Services contingent, headed by major Srishti Khullar with captain Amba Samant of the Army Dental Corps, surgeon lieutenant Kanchana of the Indian Navy and flight lieutenant Dhivya Priya of the Indian Air Force. The Army marching contingents will include The Madras Regiment, The Grenadiers, Rajputana Rifles, Sikh Regiment and the Kumaon Regiment.

Indian Navy contingent: The Indian Navy contingent will consist of 144 men and women Agniveers, led by Lt Prajwal M as contingent commander and Lt Mudita Goyal, Lt Sharvani Supreiya and Lt Devika H as platoon commanders. It will be followed by the naval tableau, depicting the themes ‘Nari Shakti’ and ‘Sea Power Across the Oceans Through Indigenisation’.

Indian Air Force contingent: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will comprise 144 airmen and four officers, led by squadron leader Rashmi Thakur. Squadron leaders Sumita Yadav and Pratiti Ahluwalia and fight lieutenant Kirti Rohil will march past as supernumerary officers behind the contingent commander. The IAF tableau is on the theme ‘Bharatiya Vayu Sena: Saksham, Sashakt, Aatmanirbhar’.

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar winners: Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is conferred on children with exceptional abilities and outstanding achievement in the fields of bravery, art and culture, sports, science and technology, innovation and social service.