The ceremony on the border is a daily spectacle. Every evening, soldiers from both countries perform a tightly directed flaggeremony, in which they mirror each other’s movements to perfection. The best known takes place at the Attari-Wagah border crossing, where thousands of spectators come together to experience their national pride. Since 1959 the flag has been ironed there every evening, originally as a sign of mutual respect between former British colonial officers. In the meantime, the ceremony has grown into an hour -long show full of bombast, leg waving and patriotic cries.
Staff of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) performs during the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony at the Attari-Wagah limit. © AFP
Vertical arms race
The flagpoles have since become a kind of vertical arms race. In 2017, India placed a mast of 110 meters high, to which Pakistan responded with a copy of 122 meters. Six years later, India added a little extra with a mast of 127 meters. But the wind on the border turns out to be a tough opponent: the enormous flags often tear within a few weeks, so that smaller variants are usually hoisted on weekdays.
Staff of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) performs during the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony at the Attari-Wagah limit. © AFP
Pakistan now opts for a different approach: instead of another higher mast, the country is planning the construction of a stadium in Mughal style, with room for 25,000 spectators, including a museum and theme park. For example, the ceremony on the border must grow into a tourist attraction.
‘Charged ritual’
According to Defense expert Rahul Bedi, the flag struggle goes beyond theater. “It is a charged ritual, steeped in nationalism and emotion. The flagpoles are a visual symbol of prestige and power.” At the same time, he points to its absurdity: “It is a kind of weapon race with giant flags, where the wind is always the winner.”