By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The Indian Army celebrated its 78th Army Day at Jaipur, Rajasthan, on 15th January 2026.
The parade commenced with a Wreath Laying ceremony at the Prerna Sthal, where General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff; General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) paid tribute to the brave soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. Air Vice Marshal M Bandhopadhyay and Commodore P Verma also laid the wreath on behalf of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.
This marks the fourth occasion that the Army Day Parade was held outside Delhi, following the decision to bring this event to other parts of the country. It was for the first time that the Parade was conducted outside army cantonment, at the heart of the city at Mahal Road, Jaipur, starting from Akshay Patra Circle and culminating at Bombay Hospital. South Western Command has hosted parade for the first time, after being conducted in Bangalore, Lucknow & Pune since 2023.
General Upendra Dwivedi, as the Reviewing Officer, took the salute during the spectacular parade. The event at Mahal Road, Jaipur started with solemn ceremony wherein the Chief of the Army Staff presented Sena Medal (Posthomous) for Gallantry to five Next of Kins of Brave hearts who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
The Army Day Parade was witnessed by over one lakh cheering spectators, whose enthusiastic participation reflected the strong bond of trust and pride between the Indian Army and the people. The vibrant turnout added immense energy to the celebrations and reaffirmed the nation’s unwavering support for its soldiers. The parade demonstrated the Army’s use of next generation technology for future battlefield. It underscored the Army’s continued focus on leveraging indigenous solutions and staying ahead of global military trends, ensuring its preparedness to protect the nation through technological advancements.
The parade featured over 30 entities participating in an impressive march-past with seven distinguished marching contingents, representing various Regimental Centers, including MADRAS Regimental Centre, RAJPUT Regimental Centre, Regiment of Artillery, Mixed Scouts Contingent and a NCC Girls Contingent. In a remarkable first, two special contingents participated in the parade, the Bhairav Battalion Contingents from RAJRIF and SIKH LI, symbolising the Indian Army’s strategic shift towards modern, agile and lethal warfare capabilities, specifically designed for rapid, high-impact operations along its borders. These contingents reflected Bhairav Battalions as a “lean and mean” force representing lndia’s resolve to “fight smarter and strike faster” in the modern battlefield. A fly-past by Army helicopters such as LCH, ALH, WSI and APACHE aircrafts further enhanced the grandeur of the parade.
The Army Day Parade also witnessed performance by seven Military Bands. The military bands included teams from various regimental centers, including the SIKH Regimental Centre, DOGRA Regimental Centre, MARATHA LI Regimental Centre, BEG Centre, Artillery Regimental Centre, EME Centre and a mixed band of NCC Boys and Girls.