Republic Day 2026: Major EU Leaders as chief guests Signals Strong India-EU Ties
Republic Day 2026 will be historic for India as European Union leaders will attend the celebrations as chief guests. 26th January is known as the most important day for Indians. In democratic countries, Republic Day and Independence Day have their own importance. In India, 26th January is celebrated as Republic Day every year. This day is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country.26,January marks the day when the Constitution of India came into effect. It is a symbol of democracy, unity, and national pride. Every year, people across India watch the Republic Day parade and participate in celebrations in different ways.
Republic Day 2026 Chief Guests
In 2026, our chief guest of Republic Day are honourable European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Our respectable and honourable chief guest has arrived in India on 24th January, 2026 . Union Minister Jatin Prasada welcomed Ursula von der Leyen in New Delhi on 25h January 2026. The visit highlights the growing diplomatic engagement between India and the European Union.
EU Leaders’ India Visit Schedule
In her four day trip of India, she along with President of European Council President Antonio Costa will meet Prime Minister of India honourable Narendra Modi after 26th January or Republic Day 2026. European Council President Antonio Costa is arriving today 25th January 2026 on Sunday at New Delhi. Both guests will meet Jaishankar, our Minister of Foreign Affairs of India, on 25th January 2026 Sunday.
These meetings are part of scheduled diplomatic engagements during the visit. Discussions are expected to focus on cooperation and bilateral relations.
Republic Day Parade 2026 at Kartavya Path
On 26th January 2026 (Monday), they will participate in Republic Day parade celebrations with our President and Prime Minister. India 77th Republic Day parade is presided over by President of India and our chief guests Mr. Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen at Kartavya Path, New Delhi.
For the first time in history, European leadership has been invited together for Indian Republic Day. Over the decades, the choice of chief guest has come to be decided according to India’s foreign policy. Our President Droupadi Murmu will lead the nation in celebrating the 77th Republic Day at Kartavya Path on Monday, 26th January 2026.
Parade Timing and Arrangements
The parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. Entry gates will open at 7 a.m. Live telecast will be covered by all channels. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also join our chief guests after paying tribute to our heroes at the National War Memorial. Then he will accompany them to watch the parade.Around 10,000 special guests from diverse fields will also participate. Security arrangements and public access guidelines have been put in place to ensure smooth conduct of the event.
16th EU-India Summit and Key Agenda
Apart from Republic Day events, our two guests will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27th January 2026 in New Delhi. They will represent the 16th EU-India Summit, where they are also accompanied by President Murmu and Vice President of India C.P. Radhakrishnan.
Their aim is to mark a major strategic shift to strengthen India-EU trade, defence, and technology ties. The main focus of the meeting is on finalising free trade agreements (FTA) and enhancing security cooperation. The summit reflects continued dialogue between India and the European Union on multiple areas of cooperation.
