Police carry a wreath at the Chhatrapati Shivaji railway station, one of the sites of last year’s militant attacks, in Mumbai Photo: REUTERS

Indian Policemen parade through Mumbai on the first anniversary of Islamist militant attacks on the city Photo: AFP/GETTY IMAGES

While emotional onlookers waved Indian flags and banners with slogans such as “End The Violence”, police commandos with new weapons and armoured cars tracked the route the 10 gunmen took for an attack that stunned the country.

The show of strength was in contrast to more emotional events across India’s commercial capital.

Residents lit candles outside a Jewish centre, one of several sites from luxury hotels to the city’s biggest railway station, that were targeted by 10 Pakistan-based militants in a rampage lasting three days.

At the Trident Oberoi hotel, one of the targets, chefs and laundry boys gathered to remember the attacks. Outside, a black granite column read: “In memory of our guests and our staff”. A wreath of white lilies lay next to a glass case with candles burning.

“We just wanted to show our support and show that we care,” said Subir Kumar Singh, who was leaving a written message on a banner outside the Leopold cafe, a popular tourist spot that still has bullet marks from the attacks.

The raids highlighted the lack of preparedness of India to militant attacks and showed how regional tension in South Asia could undermine stability in the economic powerhouse as it emerges on the global stage.

The police march was aimed at trying to show they were now better prepared. Many police, some armed with only sticks or old rifles, were reported to have fled the attackers who used grenades and automatic rifles.

Nine militants were killed by police in the attacks. The lone survivor, Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, is on trial and could face execution if found guilty.

Many foreigners, including British, US and Canadian nationals were among the dead.

Some local residents shouted “Hang Kasab” as they walked past the seafront Taj Mahal Hotel, where the militants guided by handlers in Pakistan by telephone, battled commandoes for nearly three days through a myriad of plush corridors.

“The first thing I did today was go to the temple and pray because my life was saved,” said Mukesh Agrawal, who was wounded at the city’s main train station.

“[I] pray that something like this will not happen in my city. I am going back to the station tonight to see the place. It’s been a year, but I remember everything.”

As a groundswell of emotions swept the city, Indian newspapers and TV stations indulged in a painful public soul-searching in chat shows, debates and editorials.

“26/11: lest we forget” – read the headline of a front-page editorial in the Mint newspaper.

The attacks saw India break off peace talks with Pakistan.

New Delhi has sought to bring international pressure on Islamabad to act against militants operating from its soil, including the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) blamed for masterminding the raids.

In a move seen as trying to appease that frustration as well as deflect US pressure to act, a Pakistani court indicted on Wednesday seven Pakistani suspects on terror charges in connection with the attacks.