India shows military strength during Republic Day

Indian soldiers march during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi January 26, 2013. India celebrated its 64th Republic Day on Saturday.[Photo/Agencies]

NEW DELHI - India displayed its military strength on Saturday while holding the 64th Republic Day parade in the capital, showing its new Agni-V intercontinental missile which is capable of striking targets some 6,000 km away.

The highlight of the 100-minute parade was the nuclear-capable Agni-V ballistic missile, developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization.

India test fired the missile in April 2012, joining the elitist club which has intercontinental missiles membered by the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China.

The missile, wrapped in white and the saffron, green and white color of the Indian national flag, was mounted on a self-contained road mobile launcher.

It is capable of striking much of Asia and a large part of Europe and Africa.

Along with the missile, the domestically designed Arjun main battle tank, supersonic cruise missile Brahmos, Pinaka multi- barrel rocket launcher, a CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) warfare reconnaissance vehicle, a bridge-laying tank and a mobile integrated network terminal system were also paraded during the event, which took place at the axis from the Presidential Palace to the Indian Gate in central Delhi.

The Dhruv advanced light helicopter of the Indian Army, the " eye in the sky" atop an Embraer 145 airborne early warning and control aircraft of the Indian Air Force were also shown.

A Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter roared through the sky at the end of the parade.