Republic Day 2026: Rafale jets and Operation Sindoor tableau steal the show
India's 77th Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path was all about bold moves and national pride.
With "150 Years of Vande Mataram" as the theme, the crowd got a thrill watching a Rafale jet pull off a vertical climb at 900km/h—thanks to Group Captain Amit Gehany and Flight Lieutenant Utkarsh Sharma from the Golden Arrows Squadron.
Why does this matter?
The tri-services 'Sindoor' tableau turned heads by celebrating last year's Operation Sindoor, which took on Pakistan-based terrorists.
Models of BrahMos missiles, Akash air defense systems, Suryastra rocket launchers, Arjun tanks, and Apache helicopters showed off India's latest military tech.
The parade also brought fresh energy with IAF flypasts featuring Rafales, Sukhois, MiG-29s, Jaguars—and some cool firsts like the newly raised Bhairav commandos, the Shaktiban Regiment showcasing drone counter-drone and loiter munition systems, Zanskar ponies, and even Bactrian camels.
If you're into tech or just love seeing history made live, this was one for the books.