This year’s celebrations marked the last big public event before the country heads for the national election due by May.
The Republic Day parade, which saw South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as the chief guest, first lady of SA Tshepo Motsepe, President of the country Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, among several other leaders.
The parade began with the laying of a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate by PM Modi.
It started from Vijay Chowk and passed through Rajpath, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar (BSZ) Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg and proceeded for the Red Fort.
Twenty-Two tableaux of states and central government departments were showcased during the 90-minute parade.
![India celebrated its 70th Republic Day today 1 26011901](https://splco.me/eng/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/26011901-1024x576.jpg)
With the celebrations, Delhi had been placed under several-layer security network.
Women commandos, mobile hit teams, anti-aircraft guns, and sharpshooters have been deployed across strategic locations to keep a close watch on the eight-km-long Republic Day parade route from Rajpath to the Red Fort in central Delhi.