Current:Home > InvestAP Photos: Indians rejoice in colorful Republic Day parade with the French president as chief guest -MoneyMatrix
AP Photos: Indians rejoice in colorful Republic Day parade with the French president as chief guest
Oliver James Montgomery View
Date:2025-04-09 08:27:05
NEW DELHI (AP) — Indians cheered hundreds of men and women in colorful costumes as they played marches, performed traditional dances and pulled motorbike stunts during India’s Republic Day parade in New Delhi on Friday.
Thousands of people braved winter chills and mist in the Indian capital as the parade showcased the country’s military hardware and cultural heritage.
It included a camel-mounted regiment with its mustachioed riders, and floats depicting India’s moon lander, its first indigenous aircraft carrier and the Hindu god Lord Ram. India dedicated a controversial temple to Lord Ram earlier this week, built on the site of a demolished mosque.
Women had a more prominent position than in previous parades. It was led by a group of over 100 female musicians, and an all-female unit of soldiers marched in the parade for the first time.
Toward the end of the 90-minute parade, the sun broke through the clouds as dozens of aircraft and helicopters zoomed past overhead.
Republic Day parades also took place in state capitals and other cities across India.
French President Emmanuel Macron was the chief guest at India’s 75th Republic Day event, which marked the anniversary of the adoption of the country’s Constitution on Jan. 26, 1950, nearly three years after independence from British colonial rule.
Macron arrived with India’s President Draupadi Murmu in a ceremonial British-era horse-drawn carriage. It was an unexpected sight, as the carriage made a comeback 40 years after it was given up in 1984 in favor of an automobile.
Tanks, missile systems, infantry combat vehicles, radar systems and medium-range surface-to-air missile systems were displayed at the New Delhi parade, with hundreds of men from police and military battalions marching along.
The parade took place on Rajpath Avenue, built by India’s former British rulers, which was redeveloped as part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Indian independence and renamed Kartavayapath, or the Boulevard of Duty. It is lined by huge lawns, canals and rows of trees.
veryGood! (93351)
Related
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Ukraine says Russian missiles hit another apartment building and likely trapped people under rubble
- Kim Pegula visits Bills training camp, her first public appearance since cardiac arrest
- Malala Yousafzai Has Entered Her Barbie Era With the Ultimate Just Ken Moment
- 'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
- Can you drink on antibiotics? Here's what happens to your body when you do.
- Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says GOP talk of potential Trump pardon is inappropriate
- Cardi B retaliates, throws microphone at fan who doused her with drink onstage in Vegas
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- As the pope heads to Portugal, he is laying the groundwork for the church’s future and his legacy
Ranking
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Florida woman partially bites other woman's ear off after fight breaks out at house party, officials say
- Mass shooting at Muncie, Indiana street party leaves one dead, multiple people wounded, police say
- Pee-wee Herman creator Paul Reubens dies at 70
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Extreme Rain From Atmospheric Rivers and Ice-Heating Micro-Cracks Are Ominous New Threats to the Greenland Ice Sheet
- $1.05 billion Mega Million jackpot is among a surge in huge payouts due to more than just luck
- Pitt coach Randy Waldrum directs Nigeria to World Cup Round of 16 amid pay scandal
Recommendation
Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
Horoscopes Today, July 30, 2023
'Hero dog' facing euthanasia finds a home after community rallies to get her adopted
Group: DeSantis win in Disney lawsuit could embolden actions against journalists
Costco membership growth 'robust,' even amid fee increase: What to know about earnings release
SUV hits 6 migrant workers in N.C. Walmart parking lot, apparently on purpose, then flees, police say
Death toll rises to 54 after blast at Pakistan political gathering
Damar Hamlin puts aside fear and practices in pads for the first time since cardiac arrest