IAF fighter jets to fly in Operation Sindoor formation in Republic day parade

He said that the Prahar Formation will comprise three Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) — two from the Indian Army and one from the Indian Air Force — of which the lead aircraft will carry the Operation Sindoor flag.

The Garud Formation will follow the Prahar Formation, and both will fly in a battle array format, he added. This would simultaneously be explained during the live commentary along the Kartavya Path.

The Sindoor Formation will comprise two Rafale aircraft, MiG-29 aircraft and Su-30 MKI aircraft each besides one Jaguar aircraft, making it a powerful seven-aircraft formation, he said. Overall, a total of 29 aircraft will participate in the flypast this year, including 16 fighter aircraft, four transport aircraft, and nine helicopters from six different bases.

An IAF statement noted that the flypast will commence with the Dhwaj formation, where four Mi-17 IV helicopters will carry the National Flag alongside the flags of the three services.

“The display will showcase the capabilities of the Rafale, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft, complemented by strategic assets which will include the C-130 and C-295, as well as the Indian Navy’s P-8i aircraft. Attack helicopters, such as the IAF’s ALH MK IV and the Indian Army’s ALH WSI, Apache and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) will also participate in the flypast showcasing jointmanship,” the statement noted.

A “veteran’s tableau” will also be displayed, the front portion of which will feature the Amar Jawan Jyoti, 3D models of historical war machines, which include the T-55 and Vijayant Tank, Hunter, MiG-21, Mirage and Jaguar aircraft, INS Mysore and INS Rajput, and representations from the 1965, 1971 wars and 1999 Kargil Operation Vijay. “The rear portion highlights the role of veterans in national development, focusing on their voluntary efforts in flood relief, medical services, education and the ‘Make in India’ initiative,” the statement mentioned.

This year will mark the first Republic Day after Operation Sindoor, and India will showcase its military might — including its newly-raised Bhairav light commando battalion and a range of indigenous platforms— in a phased battle array format.

This will be the first time that the public will get to see military assets in the sequence they would appear during actual combat.

They will move down Kartavya Path in formations similar to an actual battle scenario, starting with reconnaissance, followed by other military units such as logistics and personnel accompanying these platforms, wearing battle gear.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Defence on Thursday said a total of 30 tableaux — 17 of States/Union Territories and 13 of Ministries/Departments/Services — will roll down the Kartavya Path in New Delhi during the Republic Day parade on January 26.

“With a broad theme of ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, the tableaux will showcase a unique mix of 150 years of national song Vande Mataram and the nation’s rapid progress on the back of the growing self-reliance across sectors, dipped in its rich and vibrant cultural diversity,” it added.

In a separate statement, it said the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) will showcase some of its path-breaking innovations for national security during the parade at Kartavya Path and Bharat Parv 2026, including Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) and DRDO Tableau-‘Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines’.

The LR-AShM is a Hypersonic Glide Missile capable of engaging static and moving targets and is designed to carry various payloads. The missile is a first-of-its-kind with indigenous avionics systems and high accuracy sensor packages.

The theme of its tableau is ‘Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines’, which will display the indigenously developed technologies and systems which act as a force multiplier for conventional submarines of the Indian Navy, it said, adding that these systems are Integrated Combat Suite (ICS), Wire Guided Heavy Weight Torpedo (WGHWT) and Air Independent Propulsion, which will ensure combat supremacy in the underwater domain.