Republic Day 2022: In A First, Beating Retreat Ceremony To Have Drones, Laser Show

India will be the fourth country to conduct a drone show of this size that has been designed and conceptualised indigenously. China, Russia and the United States are the three other countries that can put up a drone show of this size before.

New Delhi:  The Rashtrapati Bhawan along with the Rajpath were bathed in tricolour and lazar light on Monday as rehearsals for the Beating the Retreat ceremony were underway in the national capital Delhi. For the first time in the history of India, the Beating the Retreat ceremony, which is held on January 29 every year, will have a laser show and a drone show with background music.

Delhi: A laser show would be held for the first time at the #BeatingRetreat ceremony. Rehearsals are being done for the ceremony, to be held at the Vijay Chowk on January 29th. pic.twitter.com/E8jm9Hui7Q

— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2022

According to a report by news agency PTI, the annual ceremony will have a show of nearly 1,000 drones by an IIT-Delhi-based startup to commemorate 75 years of the country’s independence.

Quoting a Defence Ministry Official, the report said on the parapet of the north block and the south block, there will be a laser projection mapping show to commemorate 75 years of independence.

These two shows will take place in addition to the foot-tapping music and classical renditions that are there every year at the ceremony, they said. The officials said Botlab, a startup from IIT-Delhi, will put up the drone show with nearly 1,000 drones. It will also be themed on 75 years of independence.

Notably, India will be the fourth country to conduct a drone show of this size that has been designed and conceptualised indigenously. China, Russia and the United States are the three other countries that can put up a drone show of this size before.

The Beating the Retreat ceremony marks a centuries-old military tradition, dating back to the days when troops disengaged from a battle at sunset. As soon as the buglers sounded the “retreat”, the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield.

(With inputs from PTI)