New Delhi: Captain Loic Alexandre, an officer in the French Foreign Legion, expressed honour and pride for being able to participate in Bharat’s Republic Day celebrations. The 75th Republic Day parade on January 26 will feature a 95-member contingent and a 33-member band contingent from France marching down the majestic Kartavya Path. The celebrations will also feature two Rafale fighters and an Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft from the French Air Force.
The French Foreign Legion contingent, including six Bharatiya members, will be noteworthy in this year’s parade. The contingent comprises CCH Sujan Pathak (Chief Corporal), CPL Dipak Arya (Corporal), CPL Parbin Tandan (Corporal), Gurvachan Singh (First Class Legionnaire), Aniket Ghartimagar (First Class Legionnaire), and Vikas Djeassegar (First Class Legionnaire).
The French Foreign Legion, established in 1831, is an elite military corps open to foreigners serving in the French Army under specific conditions. Currently, it boasts nearly 9,500 officers and legionnaires, representing around 140 nationalities globally. The Legion has a strict recruitment age range of 17.5 to 39.5 years for males.
The parade will include an all-women Tri-Service contingent from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and India Air Force (IAF) marching down the Kartavya Path for the first time. Major General Sumit Mehta stated that “80 percent of activities at the parade will be done by women.” The event will showcase indigenously developed advanced radio frequency monitoring systems and drone jammers for the first time.
Various weapons and platforms, including T-90 Bhishma tanks, Nag missile systems, BMP-II infantry combat vehicles, Pinaka multi-rocket launching systems, Swati weapon locating radars, and all-terrain vehicles, will be displayed at the parade. French President Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest, marking the sixth occasion when a French leader will participate in Bharat’s Republic Day celebrations.
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