Army Day Parade to be held in Bhopal in 2027: MP CM

Bhopal, March 23 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav welcomed a delegation of military officers led by Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi at his residence on Monday.

During the meeting, General Dwivedi shared that a grand Army Day Parade will be organised in Bhopal on January 15, 2027. The delegation sought the state government's cooperation for the programme.

Along with the parade, ‘Shaurya Sandhya’, a military exhibition showcasing the Army’s weapons, equipment and resources, and demonstrations of military exercises will also be organised. Retired soldiers will be honoured during the event.

All activities will be conducted with the same grandeur and dignity as the Republic Day event held in New Delhi. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also attend, according to a press note from the state government.

The Chief Minister assured that the state government will extend every possible support to the Indian Army for organising the event in the state capital.

The event aims to showcase the Indian Army’s rich tradition of bravery and military heritage, connect citizens with the parade, strengthen coordination and mutual trust between the Army and civil administration, and motivate youth to join the Indian Army.

It was informed in the meeting that preparations for the Army Day event scheduled for January 15, 2027, will begin from November 1, Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day.

On Foundation Day, under the ‘Meri Maati’ campaign, soil will be collected from different districts of the state and brought to Shaurya Smarak in Bhopal, where a ‘Sankalp Vriksh’ will be planted.

Rehearsals for the Army Day Parade will be held on January 9, 11 and 13, while rehearsals for Shaurya Sandhya will take place on January 11 and 13. The military exhibition will be organised from January 7 to 12. Military exercise demonstrations will be conducted at Bhopal’s Upper Lake on January 11 and 12.

For the parade, proposed routes include Atal Path, Aerocity Road, BHEL Kalibari Road, and BHEL Link Road. Shaurya Sandhya will be organised at T.T. Nagar Stadium, while the military exhibition will be set up at Jamboree Ground. Activities such as water sports, air shows and military demonstrations will also take place at the Upper Lake.

Army Day is celebrated every year on January 15 to commemorate the historic occasion in 1949 when General K. M. Cariappa took over command of the Indian Army from the last British Commander-in-Chief, General Sir F. R. R. Bucher.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat–Shreshtha Bharat’, the initiative to decentralise national events to encourage nationwide participation in the Indian Army began in 2023.

The first such Army Day Parade was organised in Bengaluru in 2023, followed by Lucknow in 2024, Pune in 2025, and Jaipur in 2026. These events have also helped inspire young people to serve in the Indian Army.

Other military officers present at the meeting included Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain, Lieutenant General Arvind Chauhan, Lieutenant General Ranjeet Singh, Major General Vikas Lal, Brigadier Nitin Bhatia, Colonel Saurabh Kumar, Sunny Juneja, Rajesh Bandle and other officials.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Anurag Jain, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Neeraj Mandloi, and Director General of Police (DGP) Kailash Makwana also joined the meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence.

--IANS

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