(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) A 122-member triservice contingent of the Bangladesh Armed Forces will participate in the Republic Day parade of India this year, reported Indian newspaper The Hindu.
"The contingent is scheduled to arrive in Delhi on January 12 and will depart on January 30. Upon arrival, the contingent will be quarantined till January 19," reported The Hindu, quoting a defence source as saying. The contingent includes a marching contingent and a military band.
Indian Air Force (IAF) planes will ferry the contingent to and from Bangladesh.
They will be carrying their own ceremonial rifles and the personnel will be in their combat uniforms during the march past, a second source said.
The contingent will also visit places of historical significance in Agra and Ajmer on January 28 and 29 before their departure.
The Hindu reported that the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has requested the Bangladesh side to include personnel from the army units which took part in the Liberation War in the visiting contingent.
India and Bangladesh have planned a series of events through the year to mark the 50th anniversary.
In 2018, the French Army became the first foreign contingent to take part in the Republic Day parade on Rajpath.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions, the parade this year will terminate in front of the National War Memorial instead of going the full distance to Red Fort, a source said. The size of the marching contingents too has been reduced from 114 to 96.
In addition, only 25,000 visitors will be allowed to witness the parade compared to over a lakh in normal times. Children under the age of 15 will not be allowed.
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