New Delhi – As India is getting ready to mark the 777th Republic Day on January 26 2026, the country’s annual celebration of its national holiday is a long-standing tradition of diplomatic diplomacy that includes the invitation of eminent foreign leaders to be Chief Guests to attend the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. The celebrations this year’s Republic Day will be marked by a first-of-its-kind event, with top official from the European Union (EU) attending in New Delhi as the official Chief guests. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Antonio Costa who is President of the European Council, are set to be the main guests at this year’s Republic Day parade and ceremonies which will reflect India’s growing global diplomatic reach and increasing the strategic relationship with Europe.

The presence of high-ranking EU heads as the chief guests demonstrates India’s determination to improve relations between India and that of the European Union, particularly in areas such as technology cooperation, trade and security, climate strategy and exchanges between people. This is the first time that has been held on the Indian Republic Day that representatives of the EU in this capacity be present, which is an important diplomatic step.

Republic Day, observed every year on the 26th of January to celebrate the coming into effect in 1950 of the Constitution of India, which officially established the country as an independent republic. The celebration is characterized by an extravagant parade in the capital city of India, New Delhi, where the President of India is in charge of the celebration as the official commander-in-chief of the armed forces and where the leaders of the globe are invited to attend as guests of honor. The custom of inviting foreign heads of government or state to attend the Republic Day festivities has become an important symbol in India’s policy towards foreign relations as well as diplomatic outreach.

A Diplomacy-Driven Tradition

Since India held the initial Republic Day in 1950, the tradition of inviting foreign dignitaries to join the celebrations has evolved into an integral part of Republic Day observances. The main guest in the parade is typically an official from the state or government, whose presence signifies a resurgence of relationships between the two countries and shared commitments in matters of mutual interest. Over the years the leaders of Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas as well as other regions have honored India by taking part in this year’s Republic Day festivities.

Although the tradition was established at the end of 1950, however it wasn’t until the years after that invitations began to become yearly and gained international recognition. The first person to be invited to the Indian Republic Day as a foreign guest was the President Sukarno from Indonesia in 1950. This marked an era of long-running practice that promotes diplomacy as well as the nation’s pride.

India’s selection of the chief guests frequently reflects the shifts in the foreign policy agenda, long-standing relationships, and the emergence of global developments. In during the Cold War era, the invitations showed India’s leadership of the Non-Aligned Movement, with leaders of newly independent countries and countries that were aligned with India’s geopolitical vision appearing as guests. After the Cold War the main guests’ choices have been increasingly correlated with India’s increasing strategic and economic interactions with major powers as well as regional groups.

Chief Guests Over the Decades

A chronological look at Republic Day chief guests shows the diversity and breadth of India’s international relations:

1950 – 1950 1950: President Sukarno (Indonesia) – Indonesia’s first president was the first dignitary from outside to be invited to the Indian Republic Day celebrations.

The period from 1951-1954 In the early years, invitations included the King Tribhuvan from Nepal as well as the King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck from Bhutan. Some years did not have a guest from abroad.

The period from 1955-1965 Diplomatic relations across the region and beyond included visits by the Governor-General of Pakistan as well as various regional officials.

The the 1970s and 1980s – In the 1970s and 1980s, as India’s role in the world expanded the role of leaders like president Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s predecessors were honored guests. France’s leaders started an ongoing relationship, with many invitations throughout this period.

1990s – 90s The liberalization of India’s economy changed the way it operates and society, the Republic Day parade hosted leaders like Russian Vladimir Putin, the Russian President Vladimir Putin (2007) and other prominent people.

2000s and the 2000s It was a time of tradition, with wide array of leaders who attended in the 2000s from Africa, Europe, Asia along with the Americas.

2010s – The 2010s This decade was a an impressive variety of figures from around the world:

• 2014. The Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from Japan attended, strengthening the bilateral strategic and economic relations.
• 2015. A former United States President Barack Obama became the first American head of state to be invited as the Chief Guest. The visit was viewed as an example of the expanding India-US strategic partnership.
• 2016, The former French president Francois Hollande served as the main guest in the continuation of the long-running Indo-French partnership.
• 2017. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan who was then the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, attended in a sign of deepening Gulf relations.

— 2018, First time ever, the heads of the 10 member states from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were invited together in recognition of the Indian “Act East” policy as well as ASEAN integration.

2019 – 2019, 2019: President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa attended as Chief Guest, strengthening ties to Africa. African continent and sharing BRICS engagement.

— 2020 Brazilian Presidency Jair Bolsonaro attended, for the third time in a row that the Brazilian president was invited to the celebrations.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the worldwide COVID-19 epidemic, Republic Day celebrations in 2021 and 2022 were held without foreign heads of government or state making it an exception to the custom. Global travel and health restrictions stopped diplomatic participation in the years prior to that.

Resumption of International Participation

Republic Day 2023 marked a return to international recognition with the President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt serving as the Chief Guest. It was the first time by an Egyptian president and was a sign of the growing relations with India as well as Egypt.

Recent Years and Strategic Outreach

The year 2024 was the first time French president Emmanuel Macron was the Chief Guest of the event in 2024, announcing one of India’s longest-running, diverse partnerships with France. Macron’s presence, which marked the sixth consecutive time that a French president or head of the government has attended Republic Day festivities, underscored an enduring partnership that includes defense, nuclear cooperation with civil authorities as well as space-related endeavors and global governance.

To celebrate Republic Day 2025, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was invited to be the Chief Guest, a symbol of renewed focus on relations to Southeast Asia and mutual strategic goals.

Republic Day 2026: Historic EU Participation

This invitation to Ursula van der Leyen, and Antonio Costa for Republic Day 2026 highlights India’s strategy to increase cooperation to the European bloc in a period of increasing geopolitical tensions and economic growth. It is also notable that the presence of EU officials in the Republic Day parade is treated as a sign of increased cooperation in the areas of trade facilitation and sustainable development initiatives in the digital economy as well as defence partnership agreements, and solutions to global issues like climate change, as well as food security.

Foreign participation to Republic Day events has also served as a forum for bilateral meetings on fringes, allowing India and its allies to discuss a variety of agendas that range from energy cooperation to resilience of supply chains to multilateralism as well as peace efforts.

Looking Forward

This year’s 77th Republic Day parade will again display India’s military power along with its rich cultural heritage and technological advances to an international public. The parade will take place on the Kartavya Path in New Delhi and will feature contingents of India’s Indian Armed Forces, youth shows, tableaux from different union territories and states as well as a visual representation of the country’s progress and diversity. With EU participation at the first-ever time in Chief Guest 2026’s celebrations are set to highlight the changing role of India in international diplomacy. However, they will remain grounded in the Constitution which was adopted on the 26th of January, 1950.