Hello, Warriors! India has always been indulged in various exercises with friendly foreign nations to grow their military partnership. But this time, on India’s 67th Republic Day this year, the country will witness something unique — a foreign contingent marching with Indian troops in the Republic Day parade.
For the first time in the history of India, contingent of any foreign country’s army will take part in this year’s Republic Day Parade.
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A 56-member French contingent of the 35th Infantry Regiment, 7th Armoured Brigade is already in Rajasthan to take part in a joint exercise. Known as “Shakti 2016”, it will focus on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency.
The 35th Infantry Regiment has a number of battle honours to its credit and is over 400 hundred years old — it was raised in 1604 in Lorraine, France. It had also taken part in the Afghan war. The contingent is led by Major Thibaut De Lacoste Lareymondie.
The French contingent will march down the Rajpath as French President Francois Hollande will be seated as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations this year. In 2009, India participated in the Bastille Day Military Parade or 14 July Military Parade, the oldest regular military parade in the world.
The then President Nicolas Sarkozy invited Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to attend the event as the guest of honour. Soldiers including jawans of Maratha Light Infantry Regiment Centre (MLIRC) marched down the Champs Elysees to the sound of an Indian military band playing Indian martial tunes including “Saare Jahan Se Achcha”.
Meanwhile, a French contingent comprising 56 personnel of 35th Infantry Regiment of 7th Armoured Brigade, which, arrived in Jodhpur to take part in eight-day long counter-insurgency joint exercise ‘Shakti-2016’.
