India celebrates 77th Republic Day on Kartavya Path with EU leaders as chief guests

A Republic Day with strong ceremony and diplomacy

India celebrated its 77th Republic Day on Monday, 26 January 2026, with the main parade held on Kartavya Path in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu presided over the event, including the unfurling of the national flag, the national anthem and the traditional 21-gun salute. The parade brought together marching contingents, tableaux and performances designed to reflect the country’s cultural breadth and its development story.

A key feature this year was the diplomatic prominence given to the European Union. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Luís Santos da Costa attended the celebrations as chief guests, reflecting an effort to underline India’s engagement with Europe at a moment when global trade, security and technology cooperation are all under renewed focus.

Themes, tableaux and the national song milestone

The Republic Day parade route, running from the Rashtrapati Bhavan area towards the National War Memorial, carried themes framed around patriotism and self-reliance. Organisers also highlighted a major cultural marker: the 150th anniversary linked to the national song 'Vande Mataram', using the milestone to connect the parade’s present-day messaging with historical memory and the freedom movement’s vocabulary of unity.

The parade showcased the armed forces’ ceremonial precision as well as India’s emphasis on domestically produced defence equipment. Alongside the military presentation, cultural troupes and state-themed tableaux presented regional identities through music, dance, costumes and crafted visual storytelling, aiming to show how diverse traditions sit within a single constitutional framework.

What the visuals signalled to audiences

Crowds lined Kartavya Path to watch the long procession, and the flypast and concluding segments were presented as high points. Republic Day celebrations were also held across state capitals and major cities, with heightened security and local parades. Taken together, the day’s staging served two purposes: reinforcing constitutional pride domestically and projecting stability, capability and partnerships to external audiences.

• Date: 26 January 2026 (77th Republic Day)
• Venue: Kartavya Path, New Delhi
• Chief guests: Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Luís Santos da Costa
• Focus areas: military display, cultural diversity, development messaging, 'Vande Mataram' milestone