10 Highlights Of 73rd Republic Day Parade

The grand flypast by 75 aircraft featured Indian Air Force's latest acquisition, the Rafale fighter jets, and the Chinook helicopters.

In a first, a stunning in-flight cockpit video of the flypast that was recorded earlier was released.

Unfortunately, the grand finale of the flypast, a formation of 17 Jaguar aircraft, was not visible at Rajpath owing to low cloud base.

Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh, the country's first woman pilot for the Rafale jets, was in the tableau based on the theme, Indian Air Force transforming for the future.

The Army parade was led by Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Mishra, an Ati Vishisth Seva Medal awardee who was commissioned into the 17th Battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in December 1985.

Among the marching contingents of the Indian Army were paratroopers in the new combat uniform. They were greeted with loud cheers as they made their way down the Central Vista.

How Indian Army uniforms and rifles evolved over the decades since independence was on display at the parade. Three contingents wore uniforms from previous decades, and one wore the new.

Among the most colourful performances by the forces was the show by CRPF personnel as they sang their theme song.

Besides the show in the air and on the ground, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attire made headlines. The Prime Minister wore a cap from Uttarakhand and a draped a stole from Manipur -- both states headed for polls.

An emotional farewell also marked the special day. Viraat, the bold charger from the President's Bodyguard, who has taken part in 10 Republic Day parades, escorted the President on his last.