120-member Egypt contingent to participate in Republic Day parade on 26th

A 120-member military contingent from Egypt will also be taking part in the celebrations. The development comes as the two countries mark 75 years of diplomatic relations. This will be the first Republic Day celebrations to be hosted at the ceremonial boulevard after Rajpath was renamed to 'Kartavya Path' last year. About 42,000 people are expected to attend. “Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited President Sisi as chief guest for our Republic Day and President Sisi has warmly accepted the invitation. We have invited Egypt as the guest country during our G20 Presidency this year," said Ausaf Sayeed, secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday.

The official pointed out that formal relations with Egypt were established a mere three days after India gained independence in August 1947. This year's parade will include 23 tableaux - 17 from states and Union territories, and six from various ministries and departments. 32 officers and 166 cadets from 19 countries are also expected to participate in the 74th Republic Day celebrations. Defence ministry officials said that the government has put 32,000 tickets on sale online for the masses this year. For the first time, all official invites for the ceremonial event are also being sent online. With this being the inaugural Republic Day for the newly renovated ‘Kartavya Path’, workers of the Central Vista project and their family members, maintenance staff, vegetable vendors, milk booth workers, grocery shopkeepers and rickshaw-pullers will be "special invitees". They will be seated prominently at the Kartavya Path. The celebrations will begin with a grand event on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on January 23 and go on till Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary (January 30).