The 77th Army Day Parade took place at the Bombay Engineers Group (BEG) and Centre in Pune, Maharashtra, where the Southern Command is based, displaying powerful weapons and advanced platforms in a significant demonstration of India's military strength.

The theme for this year's Army Day festivities is "Samarth Bharat, Saksham Sena." It aims to showcase the abilities of the Indian Army and its role in building a more robust nation.

Notable features of the Army Day Parade included an all-female Agniveer contingent, an all-female marching group from the National Cadet Corps (NCC), and a display of 'robotic mules', along with the performance of the Nepal Army band.

For the first occasion, a group of 12 marching 'robotic mules' along with their handlers made their appearance at the esteemed parade.

Various platforms displayed during the Army Day Parade featured the K9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer, BMP-2 Sarath infantry combat vehicle, Sarvatra bridging system, T-90 tanks, Swathi weapon locating radar, ATOR N1200 all-terrain vehicle, multi-barrel rocket system, drone jamming systems, and mobile communication nodes, according to PTI.

Participating in the parade were the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment, Madras Regiment, Mechanised Infantry, Regiment of Artillery, Bombay Engineer Group, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, along with various others.

A brochure distributed by Army representatives mentioned that a joint band comprising members of both the Indian Army and the Nepal Army is participating in the parade, signifying the "collaboration between the two countries".

The yearly event has traditionally taken place in the national capital, but this established custom saw a notable change in January 2023, when the parade was held for the first time in Bengaluru (within the Southern Command zone).

At the event, General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) among other accolades.

Speaking on the occasion, COAS General Upendra Dwivedi said, “Today, our country is standing on the threshold of a new era and is progressing smoothly towards the goal of a developed India. For our country to move ahead on the path of progress and development, a stable and secure environment is necessary, in which the Indian Army plays an important role."

According to reports by CNN, General Dwivedi expressed confidence that they would continue on the "path of progress to make the Indian Army a Modern, Agile, Adaptable, Technology enabled and future-ready Force."

The situation on northern borders is "stable but at the same time sensitive," he said that the Indian Army is "fully prepared and capable" to deal with any type of situation, while special attention was given to developing modern equipment and critical infrastructure on the northern borders.

"Ceasefire remains in place on the Line of Control of the western borders, but infiltration attempts continue. In the interior areas of Jammu and Kashmir, as a result of the continuous efforts of the security forces, violence has reduced significantly. The peaceful completion of Parliament, Assembly elections and Amarnath Yatra last year reflects the improvement in the security situation," he added.