NEW DELHI, Jan 26: India showcased its military hardware and heritage at a tightly-guarded Republic Day parade on Thursday, with a display featuring elite troops, weaponry and aircraft with folk dancers, camels and elephants.

Thousands of troops, including commando units with machine guns, guarded the fortified venue to prevent attacks by Kashmiri guerrillas who had vowed to disrupt the annual celebrations.

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah was guest of honour, flanked by cavalry as he was escorted by President Abdul Kalam to New Delhi’s Central Vista parade grounds.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his cabinet colleagues and Saudi delegates also attended the celebrations, marking India’s transition to a republic in 1950 following independence from Britain in 1947.

The military displayed its Russian-built T-90 tanks as well as howitzers and models of its nuclear-capable Agni (Fire) ballistic missile which has been tested more than five times since 1993.

India, which budgeted $14 billion for defence in the fiscal year ending on March 31 and has emerged as Asia’s largest market for Western military hardware, also showed off a model of a French-designed Scorpene submarine due to join its fleet by 2,011.

The air force, the world’s fourth largest, staged flypasts of its frontline Sukhoi-30 interceptor jets and Mirage-2000 multi-role fighter planes.

Also on parade were colourful floats representing various states, and folk dancers in elaborate costumes and headgear. Tens of thousands turned out to watch, many walking miles because of major traffic disruptions.

Security was also tight at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, where the anniversary was celebrated.

Kashmiri leader Umar Farooq called on India, which has tens of thousands of troops in Kashmir, to demilitarise the region and for an end to violence.

Maoist rebels in the eastern states of Bihar and Jharkhand bombed railway tracks and a police station, injuring two policemen and disrupting rail services.

Counter-insurgency troops were also out in force across India’s seven north-eastern states where separatists have stepped up attacks, killing three people and wounding 31 since last Friday.

The separatists also damaged six oil and gas facilities and three power plants in Assam state. —-AFP