India marks 77th Republic Day with Kartavya Path parade, EU leaders attend as chief guests

A national showcase on Kartavya Path

India marked its 77th Republic Day on Monday, 26 January 2026, with the centrepiece celebrations at Kartavya Path in New Delhi. The parade commemorated the adoption of the Constitution on 26 January 1950 and drew large crowds along the ceremonial boulevard. The event blended formal state ritual with a public spectacle that highlighted both national identity and the country’s evolving capabilities.

As part of the traditional proceedings, the national leadership presided over the ceremony while contingents marched, bands played and a coordinated programme unfolded from the start of the parade through to the closing flypast. Across the country, parallel Republic Day parades and observances were held in state capitals and major cities amid heightened security arrangements.

Military hardware and cultural tableaux

The Republic Day parade continued its familiar pattern of combining military display with cultural performances. Marching units from military and paramilitary forces formed the backbone of the procession, while domestically produced hardware featured prominently in moving columns. The parade also included folk dance troupes in regional attire and floats that presented India’s cultural diversity and development themes.

A climactic aerial segment featured Indian Air Force aircraft overhead, reinforcing the day’s emphasis on readiness and national pride. Organisers and security agencies maintained tight control of movement in and around central Delhi to manage crowds and ensure the smooth flow of the programme.

EU leaders as chief guests signal diplomatic focus

A defining headline element of this year’s ceremony was the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa as the chief guests. Their attendance—during a visit spanning 25 to 27 January—added an international dimension to the celebrations and placed the India–EU relationship in the spotlight on one of India’s most symbolically important national days.

Along with the optics of high-level attendance, the day’s programme underscored how major national ceremonies can also serve as diplomatic platforms, with visiting leaders witnessing India’s military pageantry and cultural narrative in a single, carefully choreographed public event.