In New Delhi, there will be no foreign dignitaries at the Republic Day parade. (File)
The Republic Day celebrations will have a laidback look this year too, much like last year. Due to pandemic protocols in place, the grand parade and the long list of guests for the event in New Delhi are being scaled down. As COVID-19 cases across states and Union territories see a spike, all programmes will follow guidelines issued by the government.
In New Delhi, there will be no foreign dignitaries at the Republic Day parade. The tradition of calling foreign dignitaries to be the chief guest stays stalled for two years in a row due to the pandemic. Last year, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson decided to cancel his trip after the UK witnessed the second wave of the pandemic.
The government has curbed the number of people who can attend the parade in 2022. Last year, about 25,000 people attended the event. But this year, a cap has been placed at a much lower number. Earlier, the defence ministry was planning to allow 24,000 attendees. However, senior officials suggest that the number is likely to be trimmed down to anywhere between 5,000 and 8,000. Children below the age of 15 will not be allowed.
The defence ministry has decided to start the parade half an hour later, at 10.30 am. This is due to a weather forecast of fog in Delhi on the morning of January 26.
Regarding the tableaux parade, 12 states and Union territories and nine ministries and departments will showcase their tableaux this year. Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir will display their tableaux at the event.
For the first time, the Republic Day celebrations will also feature a drone show during Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29.
Strict COVID-19 protocols will be in place during the event. Wearing a mask is mandatory. Attendees also need to show double-vaccinated certificates. Anyone who turns up with COVID-19 symptoms will be isolated at the COVID-19 booths at the entry points.