Republic Day 2026: Rafales, Su-30s, choppers, Surface to Air Missiles, Netra provide aerial shield to Delhi

New Delhi [India], January 26 (ANI): The Indian Air Force deployed around 20 fighter jets, including the Rafales, Su-30s, and Mirage 2000, along with the Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, to create an aerial shield against any possible threat to the celebration of the 77th Republic Day parade and associated events till January 30.
The deployments were part of the Republic Day celebrations, and the Indian Air Force has taken strong measures, especially as this is the first time the country's military grandeur has been showcased post Operation Sindoor.
Senior defence officials spoke to ANI about how many of the fighter aircraft were carrying out combat air patrols while a number of them are in the Operational Readiness Platform mode, which means that the aircraft are ready to take off in two to three minutes while the pilots are in high alert mode.
The fighter aircraft flying in air defence mode are capable of taking out any threat from enemy aircraft or drones.
The Netra AEW&C aircraft & AWACS were also airborne and provided a complete picture of the adversaries' aerial activities from a very long range, along with ground-based radars that keep an eye on enemy activities 24x7.
The aircraft has recently received Final Operational Clearance from the Indian Air Force.
A number of Mi-17 and other helicopters were also airborne and flew at some distance from the event venue, carrying commandos to take out any drones or other threats.
The surface-to-air missiles, including the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile systems, Army Air Defence anti-aircraft guns, Igla man-portable air defence systems, along with hand-held and vehicle-mounted counter-unmanned aerial systems, have been deployed to tackle any threat from drones or small aircraft.
A highly sophisticated communication system under the IAF IACCS umbrella has been put in place to enable all security agencies dealing with aerial security threats to communicate in real time. It has been created for the parade to enable the authorities concerned to make quick decisions. (ANI)