Indian field gun to replace Colonial-era 25-pounder

Contact Counsellor

CategoryDefence

Last Updated25/01/2023

The Army’s British-era 25-pounder guns—which traditionally offered the symbolic 21-gun salute to the President of India and the National Flag on Republic Day—will be replaced by the indigenous 105-mm Indian Field Guns (IFG).

The World War II vintage ’25-pounders’ were designed and made in the 1940s by the British and were put to action in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.
The guns were decommissioned in early 1990s and were since used only for ceremonial purposes.
The 21-gun salute begins when the sword of the Commandant of President’s Body Guards (PBG) comes down at the shout of ‘Rashtriya Salute’ for the President and is carried out through the duration the National Anthem is played.
No shells are fired, and a specifically-designed cartridge—commonly referred to as blank round—is used to create the sound of firing.

At the 90-minute-long Republic Day parade that will march from Vijay Chowk to the Red Fort through the Kartavya Path,
the Army will be represented by Mounted Columns of 61 Cavalry comprising 51 horses;
Nine Mechanised Columns comprising three MBT Arjun MK I;
One BrahMos missile;
Two Akash missile systems among others;
six marching contingents,
Helicopters of Army Aviation as part of a 50-aircraft-strong flypast.
As per the Army, three Param Vir Chakra and as many Ashok Chakra awardees will participate in this year’s parade.
The Egyptian Army will participate in the parade as a foreign contingent.
The President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, will be the special guest for the parade.
The week-long celebrations for the 74th Republic Day started on Monday and would end on January 30, which is observed as Martyrs’ Day.