Beating Retreat 2022: Drones light up Delhi's skies - In PICS

India became the fourth country in the world after UK, Russia and China to light up 1,000 drones in the sky during the beating retreat ceremony, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said.

The drone show has been conceptualised, designed, produced and choreographed under the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative. The drone show has been organised by startup 'Botlab Dynamics' and supported by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi and the Department of Science and Technology.

The 10-minute drone show involving 1,000 drones commemorated 75 years of Independence, which is being celebrated as 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'. 

'Beating Retreat' is a centuries-old military tradition dating from the days when troops disengaged from the battle at sunset. As soon as the buglers sounded the retreat, the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield. It is for this reason that the custom of standing still during the sounding of retreat has been retained to this day.

Colours and standards are cased and flags lowered at retreats. Drumbeats recall the days when troops, billeted in towns and cities, were recalled to their quarters at an appointed time in the evening. Based on these military traditions, the 'Beating Retreat' ceremony creates a mood of nostalgia of the times gone by.