Days after three Coast Guard personnel lost their lives following a crash of ALH Dhruv Mk III in Porbandar, Gujarat, the twin-engine copter will not be part of the 76th Republic Day flypast, the entire fleet of indigenously designed ALH (Advanced Light Helicopters), consisting of 300 copters, has been grounded due to safety concerns following January 5th incident.

Confirming the absence of ALH, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said, “The ALH will not be participating in the parade but a variety of other 39 aircraft will be taking part and 12 different formations will be displayed.”

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In a press briefing on Monday, Singh acknowledged that the grounding of the fleet was a setback, but reassured that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is conducting thorough safety checks.

He further clarified that the fleet is unlikely to be cleared in time for the Republic-Day event. “Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is currently conducting safety checks, and it will be sorted out soon. However, it is unlikely the fleet will return to action in time for the Republic Day parade,” the defence secretary said.

This year’s parade is expected to see around 77,000 participants. Singh also emphasised that the parade would be a broader societal and cultural program, with over 32,000 tickets sold so far. The theme for the event is ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas.’

Responding to public feedback, he mentioned that more than 5,000 cultural performers will now be part of the parade, ensuring that all viewing galleries can witness the same dance performances simultaneously, instead of just those near the Presidential dais.

“There was feedback from the public that most of the dance performances were concentrated around the Presidential dais and the rest of the viewing galleries did not get enough views. So, the government has decided to increase the number of cultural performers to more than 5,000, Singh said. As a result, all the viewing galleries will get to see the same dance performance at the same time,” he said.

The military and martial character of the parade will remain intact. Reports suggest that the Republic Day parade will feature 18 marching contingents, 15 bands, and 31 tableaux, including representations from 15 states and Union Territories such as Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Bihar, and Gujarat, among others. These tableaux will be displayed along Kartavya Path.