India shares a robust trade relationship with the UAE, with a trade figure of approximately USD 85 billion in the fiscal year 2022-2023. Moreover, the UAE is a major investor in India, having a notable impact on foreign direct investment in India.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the World Government Summit, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai lit up with the words 'Guest of Honor – Republic of India.' In his address to . from India. The strong ties between our nations serve as a model for international cooperation.

“The @WorldGovSummit has become one of the world's leading platforms for sharing governance best practices, success stories and initiatives, and visualizing the future of government. It is a pleasure to have India as a distinguished guest at this international event, where the country will showcase its innovations, initiatives and projects in various sectors that are models for accelerating the development of government service delivery.”

We extend a warm welcome to the Republic of India, the Guest of Honor at this year's World Governments Summit, and His Excellency Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. The strong ties between our nations serve as a model for international cooperation.
The… pic.twitter.com/enMaunw4oT

— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) February 13, 2024

Prime Minister Modi, who is on a two-day official visit to the UAE, will meet UAE Vice President Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. During his visit to the UAE, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi.

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a bilateral meeting and several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged here in their presence on Tuesday.

“Brother, first of all, I would like to thank you very much for your warm welcome. We have met five times in the last seven months, which is very rare. I have also had the opportunity to come here seven times… as we have made progress in every area, there is a joint partnership between India and UAE in every area,” Prime Minister Modi said in a meeting with the UAE President.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Vinay Kwatra were also present at the meeting. Besides, the Prime Minister also interacted with the first batch of students of IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi Campus and appreciated the project of bringing together students from two countries. He also addressed the Indian diaspora at the 'Ahlan Modi' event at the Zayed Sports Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

On the occasion of the national event to celebrate Republic Day, the Horticulture Department of NDMC has prepared floral displays and fountains on the eve of Republic Day.

New Delhi: Every year on January 26, the entire country celebrates Republic Day to celebrate and honor the day when the Constitution of India came into effect in 1950. While each state organizes a slew of events to mark this historic day, the main event takes place in New Delhi, where the President of India presides over the parade on the Kartavya Path, formerly known as Rajpath. Before January 26, the capital will undergo a complete makeover. The streets are decorated with a variety of colorful flowers, multi-colored lights are placed on important buildings, structures and offices, traffic controls are in place and security is strengthened, among other things.

Many agencies work hard to ensure that the event is presented with utmost beauty, grace and elegance. One such agency working round the clock for this purpose is the dedicated, hardworking team of employees of the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) with a proven track record.

In an exclusive conversation with India.com, Amit Yadav, Chairman of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), talks about the various departments that work relentlessly throughout the festive season. He listed the steps being taken by NDMC for the successful conduct of the Republic Day parade and its associated programmes. Mr Yadav also shared the following information about the entire preparation.

The participating departments of NDMC are as follows:

Department of Public Health:

• A team of around 150 workers was deployed around Kartavya Path and its surroundings for cleaning, sweeping and garbage disposal. The workers were on continuous duty from January 25, 2024 to the afternoon of January 26, 2024.

• The sanitation team was provided with a special uniform for their identity, uniformity and protection against harsh weather conditions. They also received food and shelter from January 25 to 26, 2024.

• Two teams of 8 dog catchers were deployed in two shifts to combat the menace of stray dogs

• A team of four monkey chasers was deployed to deter and repel monkeys.

• Anti-mosquito control such as misting and monitoring of larvae breeding around Kartavya trail was being carried out regularly since last 15 days.

• The work of the Public Works Department continued after the culmination of the Republic Day parade during which sanitary work was carried out to remove all litter.

• Seven Challan wastes were left on Man Singh road by unauthorized hawkers

Swachhata:

• 285 Portable single units, 111 Urinals. 40 Washbasins, 15

Mobile toilet vans, 2 luxury vans were provided on both sides of Kartavya trail and all connecting roads Man Singh Road, Janpath Road, Akbar Road, Tilak Marg, KG Marg, Ashoka Road, C-Hexagon, Shahjahan Road, Pandara Road, Dara Sikoh Road and Vijay Chowk for use by dignitaries, guests and staff. Cleaning staff were also deployed for cleanliness and maintenance.

• Special cleaning by means of mechanical sweepers was carried out in two shifts with mechanical sweepers on all link roads like Janpath, Man singh Road, C-Hexagon, KG Marg, Copernicus Marg, Tilak Marg, Purana Qila Road, Zakir Hussain Marg, Pandara Road, Shahjahan Road, Akbar Road and Ashoka Road.

Electrical department

No festival or event can be successfully completed without electricity as every instrument speaker, screens, computers, cooling and heating system etc. requires electricity to function.

Therefore, for the successful celebration, NDMC Electrical Department has also taken several steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply and replace personnel at voltage level of 33KV, 11 KV and 415 V at various electrical substations in NDMC area. Continuous monitoring of the entire electrical network of the NDMC area was done through system monitoring and the coordinators were in constant touch with Delhi Transco Ltd through Hotline. to ensure availability of uninterrupted power to the NDMC area.

To add color to the celebration, the NDMC headquarters along with the Connaught Place area were illuminated with TriColor Lighting. Three big screens at Khan Market and Connaught Place were also under the Electricity Department.

Department of Horticulture

National Event: Celebration of the 75th Republic Day

On the occasion of the national event to celebrate Republic Day, the Horticulture Department of NDMC has prepared floral displays and fountains on the eve of Republic Day. The floral boards were arranged on the theme of flying planes, India Gate, Constitution of India with the message Happy Republic Day. The flower boards were displayed at Palika Kendra, C Hexagon, 11 Murti, Shanti Path, Sardar Patel Marg and at various roundabouts like Mandi House, Rafi Marg, RML Hospital, VP House, Sunehri Bagh, Kautilya Marg, Teen Murti, PM House etc. .

The roundabout i.e. Parliament House, Sunheri Bagh, Teen Murti, PM House, Kautilya Marg and Panchsheel Marg were also decorated with floral fountains. The flower plates on display became the selfie points and attraction for the visiting public.

(A) Flower plates

(B) Flower fountains

An online poll was conducted by MyGov where citizens could vote for their favorite tableaux of states/UTs, ministries/departments and the marching contingents.

Republic Day Parade 2024: Defense Minister Ajay Bhatt on Tuesday gave away the best marching contingents and tableau awards for the Republic Day Parade. He announced separate results, one by a jury and the other via an online public vote conducted by MyGov.

Three panels of judges were appointed to judge the performance of the marching contingents of three services, the marching contingents of the Central Armed Forces (CAPF)/other auxiliary forces, and scenes of various states/Union Territories and ministries/departments.

Based on the assessment of the panels, the results are as follows:

Best marching contingent of the three services – Sikh Regiment Contingent

Best Marching Contingent under CAPF/other auxiliaries – Delhi policewomen marching contingent

Best three Tableaux (States/UTs):

First – Odisha (Women empowerment in Viksit Bharat)

Second – Gujrat (Dhordo: a global icon of Gujarat's border tourism)

Third – Tamil Nadu (Kudavolai system in ancient Tamil Nadu – Mother of Democracy)

Best Tableau (Ministries/Departments) – Ministry of Culture – (Bharat: Mother of Democracy)

Special price – Central Public Works Department (Central Vista -Viksit Bharat Ka Pratibimb)

Special memento of 'Vande Bharatam' – Dance group

In addition to the jury, a web page was created on the MyGov platform for online registration of citizens for watching the Republic Day Parade and Beating the Retreat Ceremony 2024 online. An online survey was conducted by MyGov so that the citizens could vote on their favorite Tableaux of States/UTs and Ministries/Departments as well as among the Marching contingents to select the best from the popular choice category. The online poll for the popular choice was conducted on the MyGov webpage between January 25 and 27, 2024.

The results are:

Best marching contingent of the three services – Rajputana Rifles Regimental Marching Contingent

Best Marching Contingent under CAPF/other auxiliaries – CRPF female marching contingent

Best three Tableaux (States/UTs):

First – Gujrat (Dhordo: a global icon of Gujarat's border tourism)

Second –Uttar Pradesh (Viksit Bharat Samradh Virasat)

Third – Andhra Pradesh (Transforming School Education in Andhra Pradesh – Making Students Globally Competitive)

Best Tableau (central ministries/departments) – Lively villages (Ministry of the Interior)

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India celebrated the 75th Republic Day on Friday as President Droupadi Murmu and her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron arrived at Kartavya Path in a traditional horse-drawn presidential buggy.

Republic Day: Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted India on the 75th Republic Day on Friday and praised the “privileged strategic partnership” that New Delhi shares with Moscow. Putin also praised India's “active role” in resolving key international issues as he congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Republic Day.

“We appreciate the privileged strategic partnership between our countries. I am confident that, through joint efforts, we will continue to systematically promote constructive cooperation between Russia and India across the board,” the Russian President said.

“This fully meets the interests of our friendly peoples, as it is in line with strengthening security and stability, both regionally and globally,” Putin said in a cable message.

Putin noted that New Delhi enjoys “deserved influence in the international arena,” India said
India has achieved impressive achievements in socio-economic areas, as well as in research and technology.

“The South Asian country enjoys a well-deserved influence in the international arena and plays an active role in resolving the most important issues on the international agenda,” Russian state news agency TASS quoted the president as saying.

75th Republic Day

India celebrated the 75th Republic Day on Friday as President Droupadi Murmu and her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron arrived at Kartavya Path in a traditional horse-drawn presidential buggy, making a comeback after 40 years.

Macron, who was the chief guest at the grand Republic Day event in Delhi, witnessed the festivities at the majestic Kartavya Path in the national capital. The French president joined a select group of world leaders who attended the largest annual ceremonial event of the past seven decades.

Macron witnessed the grand military parade and cultural performances along with President Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, members of the Union Cabinet, foreign diplomats and a host of other dignitaries.

It was the sixth time that a French leader was the chief guest at the Republic Day parade.

“A great honor for France. Thank you, India,” President Macron posted “X” in a caption to a video of the French band and military contingents marching down in front of some 70,000 spectators.

Macron also greeted Prime Minister Modi and the people of India on the occasion of Republic Day.

“My dear friend @NarendraModi, Indian people, my warmest wishes on your Republic Day. Happy and proud to be with you. Let's celebrate!” he said.

In another post on 'X', Macron said it was both an honor and a sign of friendship to be invited to India on this occasion.

“I come to celebrate and consolidate our exceptional partnership. First step: bringing our youth together. We have so much to do together!” he said in French.

Macron held extensive talks with Prime Minister Modi in Jaipur on Thursday.

A 95-member marching contingent and a 30-member band contingent from France also took part in the parade.

Two Rafale fighters and an Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft from the French Air Force will also join the festivities.

Every year, India invites world leaders to attend its Republic Day celebrations. Last year, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attended this occasion.

There was no chief guest on Republic Day in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(With PTI inputs)

Republic Day 2024: For the first time, an all-women contingent from three services participated in the country's largest ceremonial event.

New Delhi: India celebrated its 75th Republic Day on Friday at the majestic Kartavya Trail, with the three wings of the armed forces displaying the country's rising military might and an impressive display of assets, as their Republic Day scenes highlighted the overarching theme 'Nari Shakti' and 'Atmanirbharta'.

Indian Navy during the Republic Day parade

During the parade, the Indian Navy tableau showcased the imposing indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the highly capable escort ships INS Delhi, INS Kolkata and INS Shivalik, the LCA, the ALH and the Kalvari class submarine. The theme of the naval tableau was 'Nari Shakti' and 'Atmanirbharta'.

The naval band played 'Hum Taiyyar Hain', which represented the might and combat readiness of the force, and to the tune marched a naval contingent of 144 young sailors, both male and female Agniveers.

Air Force contingent with 144 pilots led parade

The Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent consisted of 144 pilots and four officers and was led by Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur. Squadron leaders Sumita Yadav and Pratiti Ahluwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil marched as supernumerary officers behind the contingent commander.

The Air Force band, consisting of three drum majors and 72 musicians, played “Sound Barrier Quick March.” The IAF tableau depicted the overall theme of 'Bharatiya Vayu Dena: Saksham, Sashakt, Atmanirbhar' or 'Indian Air Force: Powerful, Powerful and Self-Reliant'.

Emmanuel Macron chief guest at the parade

French President Emmanuel Macron is the chief guest at the grand celebrations, which have the overarching theme of projecting the country's female power and democratic values.

The armed forces displayed a range of homegrown weapons and military equipment such as missiles, drone jammers, surveillance systems, vehicle-mounted mortars and BMP-II infantry fighting vehicles during the parade.

Empowerment of women during the Republic Day Parade

For the first time, an all-female contingent from three services took part in the country's largest ceremonial event. In another historic first, Lieutenants Deepti Rana and Priyanka Sevda, who are among the ten women officers commissioned for the first time in the Artillery Regiment last year, led the 'Swathi' weapon localization radar and Pinaka missile system during the parade on Kartavya Path . This year, the 75th Republic Day will focus on the themes 'Nari Shakti' and 'Viksit Bharat'.

The contingent consists of female soldiers from the Military Police Corps of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Women Military Police have been deployed in various units and establishments in Counter Insurgency areas, Siachen Glacier, Ares high altitude and desert area. They have performed exceptionally in several joint exercises and UN missions.

The all-women contingent of Tri services was led by Captain Sandhya of Military Police with 3 supernumerary officers, Captain Shranya Rao, Sub Lieutenant Anshu Yadav and FLT Lieutenant Shrishti Rao.

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu started the 75th Republic Day celebrations on Friday by unfurling the national flag at the Kartavya trail. President Murmu was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon her arrival at Kartavya Path.

President Murmu and her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who is the chief guest at this year's Republic Day celebrations, were accompanied by the President's bodyguard, 'Rashtrapati Ke Anrakshak'.

live

Republic Day Parade 2024, Flag Hoisting, Live Updates: The grand parade started around 10:30 am from Vijay Chowk with women playing traditional instruments

Republic Day 2024: India will celebrate its 75th Republic Day on Friday, marking the day when the Constitution of India, which was adopted on November 26, 1949, came into effect on January 26, 1950. It is a day to celebrate the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution and express gratitude to the visionary architect of the Constitution, BR Ambedkar, who laid the foundation for independent India. Delhi witnesses large regimental parades on Kartavya Path, showcasing the participation of Indian security forces, police and paramilitary organizations. This year's parade focuses on women and has the themes 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Bharat – Loktantra ki Matruka.' French President Emmanuel Macron participated as the chief guest in the Republic Day Parade 2024. The R-Day Parade started from Vijay Chowk around 10:30 am. View all the latest updates about this grand event here.

Amid tight security, Republic Day will be celebrated at the Kartavya Trail in the national capital with a captivating showcase of its military prowess and rich cultural heritage.

New Delhi: As India celebrates its 75th Republic Day on January 26 at Kartavya Path this year, take a look at how various world leaders have graced the occasion over the years. Some of the important world leaders include US President Barack Obama, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, due to the Covid pandemic, no chief guests were invited between 2021 and 2022. It is to be noted that this year, French President Emmanuel Macron will grace the occasion as the chief guest at the Republic Day parade.

This marks a unique two-way exchange following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France on his National Day in July 2023. This momentous visit by President Macron marks the culmination of the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership.

This visit by President Macron marks the sixth time that a French leader has been invited as the chief guest on India's Republic Day. This tradition started with President Jacques Chirac in 1976, followed by Valery Giscard d'Estaing in 1980, Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008 and François Hollande in 2016.

Here is a list of the most important guests over the years:

• 2023: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
• 2020: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
• 2019: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
• 2018: Heads of states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). These include: Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei; Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia; Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia; Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of Laos; Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia; Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counselor of Myanmar; Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines; Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore; Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand; Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Vietnam.
• 2017: Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• 2016: French President François Hollande
• 2015: US President Barack Obama
• 2014: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
• 2013: Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
• 2012: Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
• 2007: Russian President Vladimir Putin
• 2002: Mauritius President Cassam Uteem
• 1995: South African President Nelson Mandela
• 1971: Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere
• 1967: Afghan King Mohammed Zahir Shah
• 1961: British Queen Elizabeth
• 1960: Soviet President Kliment Voroshilo
• 1957: Soviet Union Defense Minister Georgy Zhukov

Amid tight security, Republic Day will be celebrated at the Kartavya Trail in the national capital with a captivating showcase of its military prowess and rich cultural heritage.

President Droupadi Murmu will lead the country in the grand celebrations on his journey of Amrit Kaal which started after the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations to commemorate 75 years of the country's independence.