Opinion Why India Needs to Discontinue British Tradition of Motorcycle Stunts During Republic Day Parades

The Motorcycle Display Team of the Indian Army has been a beloved fixture of Republic Day Parades for generations, captivating audiences with their daring stunts and synchronized maneuvers.

While these performances evoke a sense of national pride and nostalgia, it's time for India to reconsider the relevance of this tradition as the nation strides forward on the global stage.

In an era where military might is defined by technological advancements, strategic prowess, and modern warfare tactics, the motorcycle displays appear outdated. They belong to a bygone era when such feats served as a testament to discipline and coordination.

However, as India aims to project an image of a rising global power, emphasizing innovation and modernity, these stunts may inadvertently convey a message that's misaligned with the nation's aspirations.

The tradition of motorcycle display teams has its roots in the British Army era and is not exclusive to India. It's noteworthy that even England's renowned Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team, the White Helmets, gave its final performance in 2017.

The disbanding of such teams globally signifies a broader shift in how modern militaries choose to present themselves. No other contemporary army engages in such displays, underscoring the growing consensus that these stunts are antiquated and fail to reflect current military capabilities.

As the Indian Army continues its modernization efforts, embracing cutting-edge technologies and upgrading its arsenal, it should also evolve its public image. Showcasing advanced equipment, tactical demonstrations, and technological prowess would better portray the Army's current state and future ambitions.

The time, effort, and resources invested in training for these stunts could be better utilized for more strategically valuable training programs. Enhancing combat readiness and technological skills should be prioritized.

While nostalgia has its place, traditions must adapt to remain relevant. The Republic Day Parade can continue to celebrate the valor and discipline of the Indian Army through displays that embody contemporary values and aspirations.

 

[Devarpan Bhattacharjee]

there is something called legacy and uniqueness......hope they let it be as it is

 

[Sangram]

Now stop this entertainment please, be serious now we are at global stage, western laugh on us because of such stunt.

 

[Sangram]

there is something called legacy and uniqueness......hope they let it be as it is

No please

 

[Anant]

Perhaps not a disbandment, but some level of scaling down is much needed. For instance, the Republic Day parades show these displays for a fair bit. Scaling these down would retain the legacy of the display and shift focus to the more modern aspects showcased.

 

[SanPar]

These stunts does not help build the image of professional military. Must be stopped. It's cringe worthy.

 

[Arnob Bose]

Now stop this entertainment please, be serious now we are at global stage, western laugh on us because of such stunt.

Did you see them laughing???

 

[Taus Melek]

Out dated snd servers no purpose in a modern army. Better suited for the circus

 

[War is good for business]

Leth them train CRPF and hand the display skills to them.

 

[Arun Baindur]

For once the govt is making sense - time to get rid of this tomfoolery! At the same time, it's time the states upped their parade float game!

 

[Avada kedavra]

Did you see them laughing???

yes, many were mocking on twitter and asking, is this how they will defeat china?

 

[Bard of Anarchy]

This must be removed asap!!

 

[Bhishma]

so is China going to stop with their stupid synchronistic march-pasts ? are they conveying that they would take over Taiwan with march-pasts ? No ? then why should we stop the motorcycle displays ? let it be.

Republic day is for us, to celebrate our armed forces and culture. Its good the way that is. Stop monkeying around with it. If anything, whoever has seen them has high opinion of them and deep appreciation and respect for our armed forces.

 

[Girish Tyagi]

I think this circus should end now.

 

[Avinash Gogoi]

It is and always was cringe and more like a circus act. Modern armies need to look professional and tough.

 

[Prem Kumar Nair]

Republic Day Parades are no more a military parade. It's been reduced to a tamasha now.

It's best if there are two parades. One a military parade on the Republic Day, with the salute taken by the President on Rajpath and the second a cultural parade on Independence Day with PM taking the Salute at the Red Fort.

Now it's a total hotchpotch with politicians trying their tricks on military tradition.

 

[neil]

finally, you have expressed what I have always felt deeply... This kind of acrobatic demonstration is more suitable for circus acrobats, not for our Army.

I mean, what are we trying to say by such displays? That our Army has motorcycle daredevils? That we spend time & money training our personnel for these shows rather than any military-worthy activity?

It's very cringe, honestly..

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

Presidents bodyguards , motorcycle teams ceremonial sentries , unnecessary guards and other Colonial relics all need to be disbanded and wastage of money manpower channeled to training operations and combat readiness .

 

[venkat]

these were gimmicks for 1980's doordarshan...time for this and Wagah foolishness to end.

 

[Samuel Arun Masilamoni]

Or contemporise the display and use a modern motorcycle. For all their boisterous talk of throwing off legacies of the Raj, like the militarys rank insignia, pennants, etc. and replacing them with Indian versions, it is surprising that India's current administration has allowed its defence forces to continue to use a former British piece of kit as the propelling force. Why haven't they put out a tender or demanded that Hero, Bajaj, TVS and Kinetic design from scratch a motorcycle to replace and exceed the Royal Enfield for despatch, transport, escort and stunt displays? Surely if we can invent the Tejas and Chetak and now small arms we can come up with a motorcycle!

 

[Samuel Arun Masilamoni]

these were gimmicks for 1980's doordarshan...time for this and Wagah foolishness to end.

Seriously, that Wagah farce is disgraceful. Maybe it suited the heyday of cartoon artistes like Johnnie Walker, Shammi Kapoor, Dara Singh, Rajnikanth, but we as a nation have grown far beyond it. Better that the Indian infantryman stand at stoic, dignified attention while his Pakistani counterpart prances around.

 

[Narinder Sharma]

Agree ... Spend time & resources on technical prowess !!!