India celebrated its 68th Republic Day on Thursday (26 January 2017) with an elaborate display of cultural events including parades, acrobats and vast displays of military hardware.

India Republic Day
Policewomen taking part in the India's Republic Day parade in Allahabad, India Jitendra Prakash/Reuters

India won independence from British rule on 15 August 1947. Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into play as the new governing document of the country, replacing the 1935 Government of India Act on 26 January 1950.

Festivities took place all over the country, with particularly spectacular sights observed in Jammu, Srinagar and Kolkata. IBTimes UK presents some of the best photos from the 2017 Indian Republic Day so far:

India Republic Day
Policemen loading rifles as they take part in the India's Republic Day parade in Allahabad Jitendra Prakash/Reuters
India Republic Day
Indian school students displaying 'kalaripayittu', an ancient martial art, during a parade to mark Republic Day in Chennai Arun Sankar/AFP
India Republic Day
Schoolchildren taking part in the Republic Day parade in Bengaluru Abhishek N Chinnappa/Reuters
India Republic Day
Students holding balloons as they leave an event to mark Republic Day in Mumbai Indranil Mukherjee/AFP
India Republic Day
Indian cadets during a parade to mark Republic Day in Chennai Arun Sankar/AFP
India Republic Day
An Indian military contingent during the Republic Day Parade at Rajpath in New Delhi Prakash Singh/AFP
India Republic Day
An Indian Army contingent during the 68th Republic Day parade in New Delhi Money Sharma/AFP
India Republic Day
Indian soldiers during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi, India Adnan Abidi/Reuters
India Republic Day
An Indian artist taking part in the Republic Day parade in New Delhi Adnan Abidi/Reuters
India Republic Day
The Indian Military Police's Dare Devil stunt team in a display during the Republic Day Parade at Rajpath in New Delh Prakash Singh/AFP
India Republic Day
Policemen marching during India's Republic Day parade on a cold winter day in Srinagar Danish Ismail/Reuters
India Republic Day
A man sheltering from the rain at the India Gate following the Republic Day parade in New Delhi Cathal McNaughton/Reuters
India Republic Day
A policeman on to his hand as he takes part in a parade to celebrate India's Republic Day in Srinagar Danish Ismail/Reuters
India Republic Day
Schoolgirls on the steps of a stadium covered with snow as they watch India's Republic Day celebrations on a cold winter day in Srinagar Danish Ismail/Reuters
India Republic Day
An Indian student at an event to mark the 68th Republic Day in Hyderabad Noah Seelam/AFP

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