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

NEW DELHI: India marked its 77th Republic Day on Monday, 26 January 2026, with the annual Kartavya Path parade showcasing marching contingents, defence hardware, flypasts and state tableaux that reflect the country’s diversity and development priorities.

This year’s celebrations drew extra diplomatic attention because the chief guests were European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Their presence at the parade is being read as a signal of deepening India–European Union engagement, with trade, technology, connectivity, clean transition and security cooperation featuring prominently in ongoing discussions.

The EU leaders’ India trip spans 25–27 January, and the 16th EU–India Summit is scheduled for 27 January 2026 in New Delhi. Officials on both sides have indicated the summit agenda will focus on strengthening the strategic partnership through concrete deliverables across multiple policy areas rather than symbolic statements alone.

On parade day, visuals from New Delhi captured ceremonial precision and crowd appeal: uniformed personnel marched in formation, equipment columns rolled down the boulevard, and cultural troupes performed as floats represented regions and themes. The event also served as a reminder of the Constitution coming into force on 26 January 1950.

With the summit immediately following Republic Day, diplomats expect the visit to translate ceremonial optics into policy outcomes. The coming meetings are set to test how quickly India and the EU can convert shared intentions—on trade rules, technology collaboration and strategic alignment—into agreements, timelines and joint initiatives that outlast the news cycle.