India’s 77th Republic Day parade showcases military, culture; EU leaders attend as chief guests
India marked its 77th Republic Day on Kartavya Path in New Delhi with a large parade blending defence displays and cultural tableaux. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa attended as chief guests, underlining closer India–EU engagement ahead of a high-level summit.
Kartavya Path hosts the 77th Republic Day spectacle
India celebrated its 77th Republic Day on Monday, 26 January 2026, with the main parade held on Kartavya Path in New Delhi. The event commemorates the coming into force of the Constitution on 26 January 1950 and is the country’s best-known national ceremony, drawing thousands of spectators along the ceremonial boulevard.
The parade was framed as both a patriotic celebration and a statement of capability: marching contingents from the armed forces and paramilitary units moved past the dais, while bands and ceremonial formations provided the familiar rhythm of the capital’s national-day tradition. Organisers also used the event to highlight “unity in diversity”, with troupes performing folk dances and floats representing different regions and themes.
Defence platforms, flypasts and a tightly secured national day
On the defence side, the parade included visible displays of domestically produced hardware, with armoured vehicles and missile systems featured as part of the rolling columns. It ended with an aerial segment, including fighter flypasts. Republic Day events across India, including in state capitals and major cities, were conducted amid heightened security arrangements as is typical for high-profile national ceremonies.
EU leaders attend together, a first for Republic Day chief guests
This year’s event was notable diplomatically: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa attended as the chief guests. EU institutions described the joint attendance as a first and linked it to the strengthening of India–EU ties, with a high-level summit scheduled in New Delhi on 27 January 2026.
The presence of both top EU leaders at the parade is being read as a coordinated signal that the partnership is moving beyond symbolism into a broader agenda spanning trade, technology, security and connectivity.
For India, the optics matter: Republic Day chief guests are traditionally used to spotlight priorities in foreign policy. For the EU, the visit comes as Brussels seeks deeper strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific, including work on technology and innovation as well as shared priorities on resilience and supply chains.