In a first-of-its-kind event in the history of Indian democracy, leaders of as many as ten countries - Heads of States - witnessed the military might of India which was show-cased at the ever-glittering Republic Day Parade in the national capital yesterday as the country observed the completion of 68 years as an independent Republic.

The glittering R-Day Parade, an annual affair, was conducted on the sprawling Rajpath in the national capital near Parliament House and the Central Secretariat which houses many 'Bhawans' comprising offices of many Union Ministries and Departments.  It is the protocol to invite a Head of State from neighbouring/friendly country to witness the grand parade which displays the strength of India’s army, navy and the air-force.

Ten heads of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian countries) including Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, Singaporean Premier Lee Hsien Loong, Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Laos Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Cambodian Premier Hun Sen attended the event.

India is hosting the 25th anniversary of its joining the ASEAN for which the heads-of-States have been in New Delhi where unprecedented security measures have been put in place.  President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the top leaders who attended the R-Day Parade.