Indian and Nepali Members in French Marching Contingent at Republic Day Parade

The French Foreign Legion contingent, including six Indians and six Nepali members, will be marching at the Republic Day Parade on Karttavya path in New Delhi this year. French President Emmanuel Macron is the chief guest at the parade this year.

 

A 33-member French military band accompanies the marching contingent. Captain Noel Louis, Unit Commander of the Second Foreign Infantry regiment, said, “We have already done two training (rehearsals), so we should be ready for Republic Day”.

Two Rafale fighter jets and one Airbus-330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft of the French Air and Space Force will be part of the Flypast.

 

How Did Indians Get Into The French Army?

The French Foreign Legion is an elite military corps open to foreigners to serve in the French Army with certain conditions. 

At present, the Legion has 9500 officers and legionnaires, comprising around 140 nationalities, as per a statement given by Captain Louis.

 

Highest Female Participation In Any Republic Day Parade

In a conversation with Press Trust of India, Major General Sumit Mehta, Chief of Staff of the Army’s Delhi Area, said, “An all-woman tri-services contingent will take part for the first time. The contingent has female personnel from the Army’s Corps of Military Police, the Navy, and the Air Force.

“Women will do eighty per cent of the activities at the parade,” he said.

An advanced radio frequency monitoring system, drone jammers, and medium-range surface-to-air missiles will be displayed for the first time at the parade.

 

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