This year's Republic Day parade will witness a few changes.
Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary Ram Madhav, who had criticised Vice President Hamid Ansari for not attending the main yoga day celebrations here on June 21, called on him on Wednesday.
Farmer leaders on Sunday appealed to those participating in the Republic Day tractor march to carry enough ration for 24 hours and ensure that the rally remains peaceful.
The redevelopment project of the Central Vista -- the power corridor of the country -- envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a Common Central Secretariat and the revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate and new residences for the prime minister and the vice president.
Major Nikhil Maurya and Major Tarun Rathee will be leading the marching contingent of the Indian Army's Parachute Regiment Special forces on Republic Day.
The Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate in New Delhi was merged with the eternal flame at the National War Memorial on Friday.
The new Parliament building will have a triangular shape and is expected to be completed by the 75th anniversary of India's independence in 2022. The government plans to hold the monsoon session of Parliament in 2022 in the new building.
Amid chants of 'Om' and recitation of 'Mantras' for universal peace, millions across the globe today joined in spectacular celebrations to mark the inaugural International Day of Yoga, in a tribute to the ancient Indian spiritual and exercise discipline known to balance mind, body and spirit.
Breath-taking manoeuvres by air force jets, a procession of tableaux presenting a glimpse of India's cultural heritage and the progress made by the country and all-women marching contingents of the three services, these are some of the attractions in store for dignitaries and guests at the Republic Day function.
40,000 security personnel guard every nook and corner of New Delhi as US President Barack Obama arrives.
Later, President Pranab Mukherjee hosted an 'At Home' at the Rashtrapati Bhavan where French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest.
The minimum temperatures are very likely to fall by 2-5 degrees Celsius over most parts of East India, Central India over the next two-three days, while the spell of intense cold can extend beyond that in the Northwest part of the country.
When Captain Divya Ajith leads the first all-women contingent of the Army this Republic Day, she will carry on her shoulders the hopes and aspirations of women officers to soon serve the nation in combat roles.
The Central Public Works Department, which is executing the government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project, will soon start the construction work of the new Parliament building once it gets permission from the Heritage Conservation Committee, officials said on Tuesday.
The sources further said that around five statues, including of Mahatma Gandhi and Bhim Rao Ambedkar, in the Parliament complex are also likely to be relocated temporarily due to the construction work and they will be reinstalled at prominent places within the new complex once the project is completed.
The stage is set for International Yoga Day celebrations tomorrow as India leads 191 countries to mark the day with over 35,000 participants expected to perform various yoga 'asanas' at a mega event on Rajpath in New Delhi.
Glimpses of the colourful parade we will see on Rajpath in New Delhi on Thursday.
Prep has been on in full swing and there has been a lot of effort and practise to ensure that the parade goes off without a hitch.
Melting roads, deserted streets, exhausted pedestrians, and thirsty animals is what the scorching summer has left Indians with. Severe heat wave conditions currently prevail over many parts of the nation with temperatures in central and western India soar beyond 45C. Take a look!
A jailed undertrial from West Bengal was found in possession of maps related to Rajpath and Rashtrapati Bhawan.
A model of Rafale jet will be showcased as part of the IAF's tableau. Models of LCA Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), surface-to-air guided weapon Aakash missile and Astra missiles will also be part of the tableau.
On display was India's military might and cultural diversity.
Five cities -- Delhi, Shimla, Mysore, Ahmedabad and Ranchi -- were shortlisted by the Ayush ministry and sent to the Prime Minister's Office for final selection.
Twenty-seven Tibetans, including nine women, managed to run almost the entire stretch of the Rajpath, the designated route for the April 17 Olympic torch relay, and entered into a minor clash with the police as they attempted to douse the flame. The protesters suddenly emerged on the Rajpath, about a kilometre from Rashtrapati Bhavan from where the relay is scheduled to start, at around 3 pm and started running towards India Gate, where the original run is to culminate.
Sources claimed that in the meeting, it was also discussed to close the Red fort from 20th January to 27th January and a clarification was sought from Delhi Police.
Amid snow-capped mountains and on board warships, India's armed forces demonstrated their impressive yoga skills. Let's take a bow!
The Republic Day tractor parade by agitating farmers will feature a number of tableaux from across states depicting village life, the protest against the Centre's contentious farm laws, and hailing their courage, according to organisers.
Terming the participation of thousands of people during the first International Yoga Day at Rajpath as "overwhelming", a representative of Guinness Book of World Records hoped that the event will set a world record.
Security guidelines on par with those in force during the Republic Day Parade were issued on Wednesday by the home ministry on the eve of the Olympic torch relay run on Rajpath to ensure that the event passed off peacefully. As per the guidelines, all doors and windows of buildings facing Rajpath should remain closed from 1300 hours to 1800 hours, when the torch relay run will pass through the two-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhawan to India Gate.
'If the Delhi Police has some issues over law and order on Republic Day, they can sit with Sankyukt Kisan Morcha and tell about alternatives routes for the tractor rally'
"The overall Delhi's Air Quality Index is in the very poor category with few Delhi locations entering at higher zone but that will be short lived. This is mainly because the extremely calm local surface winds which were prevailing yesterday are likely to increase slightly and may further pick-up by Oct 26," SAFAR said.
The UAE is the second country after France to send its troops to participate in the Republic-Day parade of India, a tradition started last year.
"The Air Force and Navy have acted in a more liberal way. However, in the Army, you kept giving them a five-five year's job and never gave permanent commission till the verdict of the Supreme Court. If you are introducing women in the Army then why do you create a bar in NDA," the SC said.
The parade began after President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Ashoka Chakra -- India's highest peacetime gallantry award -- to Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani, a militant-turned-soldier who laid down his life fighting a group of terrorists in Shopian in Kashmir in November.
India's military prowess and multi-hued images of the country's rich cultural diversity and achievements in various fields were on display at the majestic Rajpath on Tuesday during 67th Republic Day parade which was graced by French President Francois Hollande as the chief guest.
After a gap of 26 years, 36 Indian canine soldiers, consisting of 24 Labradors and 12 German Shepherds, on Tuesday marched down the majestic Rajpath during the 67th Republic Day parade.
"Counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism matters are very important. Different countries can share some experience and one can draw lessons from another country because what happens somewhere can happen somewhere else also," he said.
Several activities like fly-pasts, flashing warship lights and other displays by the Indian army bands were included in Sunday's spectacular show across the country.
US President Barack Obama will meet Congress party leaders
