India's Republic day

During celebrating the day did India show something aggressive?

A day ahead of the Republic Day, the Government has increased security in the national Capital amid fears of air attacks.

Thousands of troops were deployed on the eve of a national holiday to prevent extremist attacks across the country.

No choppers will be allowed within flying range of Delhi and Chandigarh for the next few days. This decision was taken after security agencies informed that Pakistan-based terror groups were planning to carry out an attack on the Republic Day parade in a chopper.

Meanwhile, Indian police shot and killed two suspected Pakistani militants near the capital New Delhi Sunday.

Brij Lal, a senior police officer in Uttar Pradesh state, told reporters an anti-terrorist team chased a car carrying two men towards the capital before intercepting it in the suburb of Noida, 20km from the city.

He said passports recovered from the vehicle indicated the two dead men were Pakistani, and police were investigating if they had links to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Pakistan-based militant group India blames for the Mumbai attacks.

In view of the security alert, chopper companies have also been told that anyone wanting to hire a chopper can do so only with permission from the local police.

The Capital is witnessing an unprecedented security blanket prior to the parade. At least 198 companies of Delhi Police, of which 56 companies are from the paramilitary, have been deployed.

Meanwhile, intelligence inputs also said airports in south India have been told to be extra vigilant. According to sources, there have been at least three inputs within one month indicating that a hijack is possible.

However, the highest number of threats have come in from the north east. Police is on the look out for six alleged jihadis who have sneaked into Assam from Bangladesh.

Maximum security alert was sounded in three of the seven northeastern states with militant groups calling for a boycott of Monday's Republic Day celebrations, officials said.