India's 67th Republic Day was celebrated across cities and towns on Tuesday, with the country's military might on display in the capital where French troops made history by joining the impressive parade.

India's military prowess and the country's diverse cultural heritage were on display on the magnificent Rajpath boulevard.

French President Francois Hollande, the chief guest, watched admiringly the 90-minute splendour where President Pranab Mukherjee took salute from the military. It ended with colourful tableaux marking India's cultural diversity, a daredevil motorcycle show and a grand flypast by air force fighters.

Across the country, governors and chief ministers unfurled the national flag and took salute from military and police units. The celebrations went off peacefully everywhere.

The celebrations began with Prime Minister Narendra Modi driving to the Amar JawanJyoti memorial to the Unknown Soldier at India Gate and laying a wreath in honour of the countless Indian soldiers who have died in battles since World War I.

Modi then drove up to the saluting base to receive President Pranab Mukherjee and President Francois Hollande.

The President's Bodyguard presented the national salute, the tricolour was unfurled and the national anthem was played to set the tone for a rather poignant moment - the posthumous presentation of the Ashok Chakra, the country's highest gallantry award in peacetime. It was presented this year to the widow of Lance Naik Mohan NathGoswami of the Parachute Regiment, who laid down his life while fighting terrorists in the Kashmir Valley last Septmeber.

The emotion on Mukherjee's face was visible as he presented the medal and the citation to Goswami's widow.

A contingent from the French 35th Infantry Regiment—elements of which served in India in 1781–84—got the honour of leading the marching contingents and it performed with panache, preceded by a pipes and drums band. It is the first time a foreign army unit took part in the event.

The French apart, there was much that was different this time. The armoured element was bare-boned—just the T-90 Bhishma main battle tank and the BMP infantry combat vehicle—the marching contingents were fewer, as were the massed bands.

Then, instead of a marching continent of ex-servicemen, there was a tableau dedicated to them in the first part of the parade, an army dog squad with handlers made an appearance after 26 years, and the camel-mounted troopers of the Border Security Force made up the rear element of the parade's military element.

In another break with tradition, the young recipients of the National Awards for Bravery came up towards the end, followed by the children's pageant, a daredevil motorcycle display by the Corps of Signals, and a grand flypast by fighters, heavy-lift transports and helicopters of the Indian Air Force.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, the three service chiefs, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, cabinet ministers, a host of dignitaries and a group of women achievers seated in a special enclosure were on hand to witness the hour-and-half long parade.

French president departs from India

After attending the Republic Day parade as chief guest, French President Francois Hollande departed from India on Tuesday evening.

"Thank you President@fhollande for visiting India & gracing our Republic Day celebrations. PM@narendramodi @Elysee," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

During the course of Hollande's visit, 14 agreements were signed between India and France, including in the areas of science and technology, railways and space after bilateral discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hollande on Monday, January 25.

Sixteen other agreements were signed between the two countries after an India-France Business Summit held in Chandigarh on Sunday.

Another highlight of the French president's visit was the laying of the foundation stone of the headquarter of the newly-launched International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the inauguration of its interim secretariat at Gurgaon near here.

France committed 300 million euros ($325 million) for the initial projects of the ISA.