Republic Day 2026: India is celebrating its 77th Republic Day today.
The official celebrations will begin with President Droupadi Murmu unfurling the tricolor at the Kartavya trail, minutes before the Republic Day parade begins.
Traditionally, the national flag will be unfurled, followed by the national anthem with a thunderous 21-gun salute using 105mm light field guns, the indigenous artillery weapon system. A 21-gun salute will be presented by the Ceremonial Battery 1721 of the 172nd Field Regiment.
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The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, are today the chief guests of Republic Day.
This year’s celebrations promise to be a spectacle as the Kartavya trail, stretching from Rashtrapati Bhawan to the National War Memorial, will be bedecked with decorations, a government statement said. The boulevard is all decked up to represent an unforgettable amalgamation of 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, India’s unprecedented progress, strong military prowess, its rich cultural diversity and the participation of people from all walks of life.
Procession
The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will last about 90 minutes. It will begin with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation to pay tribute to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. Afterwards, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries will head to the salutation stage at Kartavya Path to witness the procession.
The arrival of the President of India, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission in a “traditional buggy” will be accompanied by the President’s personal guard, which is the highest regiment of the Indian Army.
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As many as 100 cultural artistes will usher in the show themed ‘Vividata Mein Ekta – Unity in Diversity’, which is set to be a spectacular showcase of musical instruments demonstrating the nation’s unity and rich cultural diversity. Petal showering will be done by four Mi-17 helicopters of 1V Helicopter Unit 129 in the Dhwaj formation. This formation of helicopters carrying the national flag will be led by Group Captain Alok Ahlawat.
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The parade will then begin with the president saluting. The parade will be commanded by Parade Commander Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Region, a second generation officer. Major General Navraj Dhillon, Chief of Staff HQ Delhi Area, a third generation army officer, will be the Deputy Commander of the Parade.
Operation Sindoor Formation
Indian Air Force will fly the ‘Sindoor’ formation in the Republic Day parade in which the fighter jets that took part in Operation Sindoor will fly, news agency ANI reported.
The formation would include two Rafales, a Su-30 and a MiG-29 along with one Jaguar fighter jet.
This will be the first Republic Day parade since Operation Sindoor – India’s precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir in April last year.
First time in ‘phased battlefield’ formation
In a new format that was introduced this year, key assets of the military, incl native platformsaccompanied by a staff, will roll down the Kartavya Path in “phased battle formation”.
This means they will move down for the first time festive boulevard in formation as would be the case in any battle scenario, starting with reconnaissance, followed by other military units such as logisticians and personnel accompanying these platforms, who will be seen in battle gear, the officials said, according to news agency PTI. The new format seeks to make watching the parade more engaging for viewers, they said.
European Union contingent
The European Union (EU) contingent will consist of four flag bearers on three gypsies. They will be seen carrying four flags – the EU flag, the most recognizable symbol of the European Union; flag of the Military Staff of the European Union; flag of the EU naval force Atalanta; and the flag of the EU Aspides naval force.
Akasha, Brahmos and ABHRA
The Akash weapon system and the ABHRA Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile System (MRSAM) – two strong pillars of India’s air defense – will also roll around the saluting stage. It will be followed by the Drone Shakti Lorry, developed by the Corps of Electronic and Mechanical Engineers to improve the operational capabilities of the Indian Army in forward areas.
Contingent of the Indian Navy
The Indian Navy contingent will consist of 144 youths headed by Lt. Karan Nagyal as the contingent commander and Lt. Pawan Kumar Gandhi, Lt. Priti Kumari and Lt. Varun Dreveriya as platoon leaders.
It will be followed by the Naval Tableau, which presents a vivid depiction of the theme of a Strong Navy for a Strong Nation. The image depicts a 5th century AD stitched ship, now christened INSV Kaundinya, the Maratha Navy’s Gurab-class ships and front-line indigenous platforms including the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, the Project 17A Nilgiri-class stealth frigate INS Himgiri and the GSAT-class INS Udayagiri, sub-class GSAT and ProSAT and Rohini) communications satellites.
Contingent of the Indian Air Force
The contingent of the Indian Air Force consists of four officers (one contingent commander and three supernumerary officers) and 144 airmen. The contingent will be commanded by Sqn Ldr Jagdesh Kumar with Sqn Ldr Nikita Choudhery, Flt Lt Prakhar Chandrakar and Flt Lt Dinesh as supernumerary officers.
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Synchronizing with the marching contingent would be an exciting fly-by of 02 Rafale, 02 MiG-29, 02 Su-30 and 01 Jaguar in ‘Spearhead’ formation, symbolizing the Sindoor formation.
Indian Coast Guard Contingent
The all-women Indian Coast Guard (ICG) contingent will be led by Assistant Commander Nishi Sharma, assisted by Assistant Commander Apurva Gautam Hore, Assistant Commander Lakshita and Assistant Commander Hardik.
Led by its motto ‘Vayam Rakshamah – We Protect’, the contingent would portray India’s maritime strength and commitment to safety and security, representing the ICG’s commitment to protect the nation’s 11,098 km coastline.
30 images of states/UTs
A total of 30 paintings – 17 States/Union Territories and 13 Ministries/Departments/Services – will be launched with the broad theme of ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
This year’s celebrations promise to be a spectacle as the Kartavya road is decorated to represent an unforgettable amalgamation of 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram.
The images will present a unique combination of 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram and the nation’s rapid progress against a backdrop of growing self-reliance across sectors, contrasted with its rich and vibrant cultural diversity.
