India Thursday celebrated her sixty third Republic Day in all splendor, exhibiting the rich cultural diversity and military prowess.
The Republic Day parade was held on the majestic Rajpath in New Delhi with military parades displaying military weaponry and tableaux from various states, followed by a cultural show that demonstrated the rich cultural heritage of the country.
The Republic Day is also celebrated by hoisting the tricolor and holding Republic Day parades and cultural fests across the country.
Here are some beautiful and offbeat moments from the Republic Day and the tricolor celebrations in India.
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers ride their camels during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade in New DelhiREUTERS/B MathurAn Indian policewoman adjusts her colleague's dress during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade in the northern Indian city of ChandigarhREUTERS/Ajay VermaRoughly 720,000 Indians visited the U.S. in 2012, a gain of about 9.2 percent.
Reuters/Danish SiddiquiCollege students dressed in the colours of India's national flag rehearse for the Republic Day parade in AhmedabadREUTERS/Amit DaveA Kashmiri schoolgirl wearing traditional attire performs to a patriotic song during India's Republic Day celebrations in SrinagarREUTERS/Fayaz Kablindian soldiers march during the Republic Day celebrations in Agartala, capital of India's northeastern state of Tripura January 26, 2012. India celebrated its 63rd Republic Day on Thursday.REUTERS/Jayanta DeyNews and media crew members stand on an open truck to take pictures of the Republic Day celebrations in HyderabadKrishnendu Halder / Reuters
