The annual Beating the Retreat ceremony, which takes place in the national capital on January 29, will have a show of nearly 1,000 drones by a IIT Delhi-based startup to commemorate 75 years of the country’s independence, senior officials of the defence ministry said on Tuesday.

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Moreover, for the first time, on the parapet of the north block and the south block, there will be a laser projection mapping show to commemorate 75 years of independence, they added.

This is the first time that the Beating the Retreat ceremony will have a laser show and a drone show, the officials said.

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These two shows will take place in addition to the foot-tapping music and classical renditions that are there every year at the ceremony, they said.

The officials said Botlab, a startup from IIT-Delhi, will put up the drone show with nearly 1,000 drones.

It will be be themed on 75 years of independence. India will be the fourth country to conduct a drone show of this size that has been designed and conceptualised indigenously, the officials said.

China, Russia and the United States are the three other countries that can put up a drone show of this size, they added.

The Beating the Retreat ceremony marks a centuries-old military tradition, dating back to the days when troops disengaged from a battle at sunset.

As soon as the buglers sounded the “retreat”, the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield. Source : PTI