Republic Day 2026: Today, India celebrates its 77th Republic Day, the anniversary of when the Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950, officially establishing the country as a sovereign democratic republic.
The Republic Day parade will begin at 9:30 am and will be telecast on state-run channels DoorDarshan (DD) and Akashwani (All India Radio), apart from the official YouTube channeland run for about 90 minutes. At the venue, the entry gates opened at 7am.
Who is the chief guest for R-Day 2026 celebrations?
Antonio Costa, President of the European Council and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission are the main guests of the 2026 Republic Day Show.
The chief guests board a traditional buggy accompanied by President Droupadi Murma and her bodyguard, the highest regiment of the Indian Army.
As per tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unfurl the national flag first, followed by the national anthem and a thunderous 21-gun salute. This year’s salute will be conducted by the Ceremonial Battery 1721 of the 172 Field Regiment using indigenously developed 105 mm light field guns.
What is the history and significance of the 21 gun salute?
The first occurrence of the 21-gun salute in India can be traced back to the colonial era, as far back as the 17th century, according to a FirstPost report. At that time it was the Navy that fired the guns as a sign of peaceful intentions.
As a salutary tradition, the practice emerged when the British considered seven to be a significant number, and to show off the abundant firepower on their warships, they fired three shots from seven guns to show peaceful intent, he added. Later, in the 1800s, the United States, Great Britain, France, and many other nations formally adopted the 21-gun salute.
In India, the 21-gun salute is considered the highest honor and is reserved for special occasions:
21 Gun Salute: The Beauty and Precision of India’s Republic Day Ceremony
Specifically, on Republic Day, the 21-gun volley corresponds to the length of the national anthem — Jana Gana Mana using a special clock to precisely time the start and end in tandem, the report added. The exercise also involves the use of seven cannons fired in three bursts at 2.25 second intervals.
All shots fired are blank, with a specially designed cartridge used to create the sound of real gunshots.
Until 2023, the Indian Army’s British-era 25-pounder guns – used in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistani wars – were in use. From 2024, the original 105mm Indian Field Guns (IFGs), developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), were used instead.
