India marks 77th Republic Day with EU leaders as chief guests at Kartavya Path
India celebrated its 77th Republic Day in New Delhi with a full ceremonial parade at Kartavya Path, as President Droupadi Murmu took the salute and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa attended as chief guests.
India marked its 77th Republic Day on 26 January 2026 with a large parade at Kartavya Path in New Delhi, where President Droupadi Murmu unfurled the national flag and led the ceremonies with a 21-gun salute and the national anthem. The celebrations highlighted India’s armed forces, cultural diversity and the country’s development narrative, drawing thousands of spectators and extensive national coverage. ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-marks-77th-republic-day-who-are-this-years-chief-guests/articleshow/127522597.cms))
A key highlight this year was the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa as chief guests. Their visit added a strong diplomatic layer to the parade, signalling a deepening India–EU partnership ahead of an EU–India summit in New Delhi on 27 January 2026. ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-marks-77th-republic-day-who-are-this-years-chief-guests/articleshow/127522597.cms))
Why the 2026 celebrations mattered
The 2026 parade also commemorated 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, with themes that linked freedom, national pride and self-reliance. The day’s visuals included military contingents, cultural tableaux and special participation connected to the EU delegation, underlining how national ceremony and foreign policy messaging converged on a single stage. ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-marks-77th-republic-day-who-are-this-years-chief-guests/articleshow/127522597.cms))
- Date: 26 January 2026 (77th Republic Day)
- Venue: Kartavya Path, New Delhi
- Chief guests: Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa
- Next milestone: EU–India Summit on 27 January 2026
Beyond Delhi, Republic Day events were held across India, with state-level parades and flag-hoisting ceremonies reinforcing the constitutional significance of 26 January, when the Constitution came into force in 1950. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/c4c711ca8324104baf63555df4ef1ab6?utm_source=openai))