Rafale to feature in Republic Day parade for first time

New Delhi: The newly inducted Rafale fighter aircraft will feature in India's Republic Day parade on January 26 and culminate the flypast by carrying out the 'Vertical Charlie' formation, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said on Monday.

In the 'Vertical Charlie' formation, the aircraft flies at low altitude, pulls up vertically and conducts rolls before stabilising at higher altitude.

"The flypast will culminate with a single Rafale aircraft carrying out a 'Vertical Charlie' formation," said Wing Commander Indranil Nandi.

A total of 38 IAF aircraft and four planes of the Indian Army will participate in the flypast on January 26, he said.

This year Republic Day parade is going to be bit different owing to the Covid-19 pandemic situation hovering in the country. The number of participating folk artists and children have been cut down to 400, earlier there used to be more than 600 participants in the parade.