Pune, Jan 14 (PTI) The historic city of Pune -- home to the Southern Command -- is all set to celebrate Army Day on Wednesday with a Nepal Army band, an all-girl marching team from the NCC, an all-women Agniveer contingent, and a set of 'robotic mules' among the key attractions lined up for the prestigious parade.

Besides, the Indian Army will also showcase many of its potent weapons and cutting-edge platforms in a display of the country's military might.

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Some of the platforms to be showcased at the parade include K9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer, BMP-2 Sarath infantry combat vehicle, T-90 tanks, Swathi weapon locating radar, Sarvatra bridging system, multi-barrel rocket system, ATOR N1200 all-terrain vehicle, drone jammer systems and mobile communication nodes, sources in the defence establishment told PTI.

The 77th Army Day Parade will take place at Bombay Engineers Group (BEG) and Centre in Pune, which comes under the army's Southern Command.

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Marching contingents from Madras Regiment, Maratha Light Infantry Regiment, Regiment of Artillery, Mechanised Infantry, Bombay Engineer Group, Army Ordnance Corps, Army Service Corps, among others, will take part in the parade, according to a pamphlet shared by army officials here.

A "combined band" of Indian Army and Nepal Army will take part in the parade, symbolising the "synergy between the two nations", it said.

The parade venue is a poignant location as it faces a war memorial raised hundred years ago in 1924 in honour of the fallen heroes of the Bombay Sappers and Miners.

Streets leading to the BEG and Centre, home to the over 200-year-old Bombay Sappers, have been decorated with army insignia and colours, while huge Army Day Parade posters have been put up across the city -- in English, Hindi and Marathi.

While some of them carry the tagline 'first time in Pune', others proclaim the participation of a Nepal Army band contingent.

The 33-member contingent, which includes three woman musicians, arrived in Pune on January 10.

Their first-time participation in the Army Day Parade in Pune marks a significant gesture of friendship and cultural exchange between the two armies, officials said.

The band's participation comes nearly a month after Nepal Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel visited India.

Its presence adds a "vibrant touch" to the celebrations, strengthening the bond between the two nations, they said.

Traditionally, the annual Army Day Parade had been held in Delhi. This long-standing practice saw a shift in January 2023, when the parade was conducted in Bengaluru, which comes under the Southern Command area. The Army Day Parade 2024 was hosted in Lucknow, which falls in the Central Command area.

The theme for the 77th Army Day celebrations is 'Samarth Bharat, Saksham Sena', and the focus this time is on demonstrating the capabilities of the army contributing to a stronger nation.

The parade ground at the BEG and Centre has been decked up with military colours bearing insignias of the army and the Southern Command, besides thematic posters carrying the theme and taglines such as 'military might and valour', 'Aatmanirbharta', and 'inter-services operability'.

The Army Day Parade will also see the participation of an all-girl marching contingent from the National Cadet Corps (NCC), and an all-women Agniveer contingent from the Corps of Military Police (CMP), Bengaluru.

The NCC contingent will have "75 members drawn from the Maharastra Directorate" of the Corps, sources said.

In a first, a set of 12 marching 'robotic mules' along with their handlers will also register their presence at the prestigious annual parade, which will also showcase four thematic tableaux, including one based on the force's Mission Olympics Wing.

Inducted last year to represent the army's steps towards modernising the force, these nimble-footed machines can carry loads, go to inaccessible areas, and engage militants also, sources said.

"When they reach in front of the dais, the robotic mules will salute the dignitaries before moving forward in the parade," a source said.

"In line with the the theme of the parade, four tableaux akin to the ones seen at the Republic Day Parade will also be showcased depicting the Indian Army's prowess, green initiatives, the value of the veterans and the force's role in fostering the Olympic spirit to produce winners," a senior official said.

In the evening, a programme titled 'Gaurav Gatha' is planned to showcase the evolution of warfare from ancient period to the contemporary era.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is slated to attend this event to be held at the Bhagat Pavilion, officials said.

The Southern Command traces its origin to the erstwhile Bombay Command established on April 1, 1895, the day which marks the raising of the command in Pune (then called Poona).

The Southern Command encompasses 11 states and four Union Territories, covering nearly 41 per cent of the country's landmass, according to its official website.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)