India is celebrating its 77th Republic Day on Monday, January 26. The main celebrations are being held at the Kartavya Path near India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, where the annual Republic Day Parade has begun.
President Droupadi Murmu is leading the celebrations to mark the completion of India being a Republic for 76 years.
The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, are the Chief Guests on India’s 77th Republic Day Parade.
This year’s Republic Day Parade is showcasing and highlighting 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, India’s unprecedented progress, robust military prowess, and its rich cultural diversity.
77th Republic Day Parade: Live Blog
The parade started at around 10:30 am and will continue for about 90 minutes.
The celebrations started with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the National War Memorial and paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath.
The President of India, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission then arrived at the saluting dais at Kartavya Path in the ‘Traditional Buggy’ escorted by the President’s Bodyguard.
The National Flag was then unfurled, followed by the National Anthem with a 21-gun salute. The parade then kicked off.
The complete 77th Republic Day Parade can be watched live here: