No nuke missiles at R-Day parade for third straight year

For the third year in a row, India did not display any of its nuclear missiles during the Republic Day parade.

In 2013, India had displayed the Inter Continental Ballistic Missile Agni V during the Republic Day Parade. The chief guest at that time was Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

However, when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came in as the Chief Guest in 2014, no ballistic missiles were displayed.

India at that time was negotiating a civil nuclear deal with Japan, the only country to have suffered an atom bomb attack.

The nuclear missiles were also missing during the Republic Day Parade last year when United States President Barack Obama was the chief guest.

Asked why ballistic missiles are not being displayed, Major General Rajesh Sahai, chief of staff Delhi area of Indian Army said deterrence is not about showcasing everything we have.

"Certain platforms are in open domain which are not showcased. There are some items which are not showcased every time," he had told reporters recently.

However, he added that some items could come back next year as displays are done on a rotation basis.

The Army, which has been talking about the ‘Make in India’ initiative, chose to display Russian T 90 tanks instead of the indigenous Arjun tanks developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

The Army displayed Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP II (Sarath), Mobile Autonomous Launcher of the BrahMos Missile System, Akash Weapon System, Smerch Launcher Vehicles and Integrated Communication Electronic Warfare System.

The Navy displayed flight deck operations on the new aircraft carrier Vikrant, under construction at the Kochi Shipyard, and the indigenously constructed submarine ‘Kalvari’ by Mazagaon Dock, having ‘Made in India’ tag on them.

Among the fighters displayed by the Indian Air Force, there were five French Jaguars.

Image: Army officers stand on vehicles displaying missiles during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: Altaf Hussain/Reuters