New Delhi, Jan. 27 -- India's 77th Republic Day Parade on January 26, 2026 turned out to be one with distinct differences and historic firsts compared to previous years. Designed to blend the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram (should correctly/phonetically be spelt Vandey Maataram, meaning "I bow to thee, Mother") with the theme of "Atma Nirbhar" (self-reliant) India, there was a strong emphasis on operational realism, indigenous military weapon systems and international partnerships.

The significance of the song Vande Mataram is that composed by the famous Bengali poet and writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875, it became a major source of fury, fear, and frustration for the British colonial government in India, ...