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Republic Day parade 2026: When and where to watch
Republic Day parade 2026: The day is traditionally celebrated with a grand parade at Kartavya Path, near India Gate in Delhi.
India will celebrate its 77th Republic Day on January 26, commemorating the adoption of the Indian Constitution. The Constitution came into effect on January 26, 1950.
The day is traditionally celebrated with a grand parade at Kartavya Path, near India Gate in Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu will unfurl the National Flag after Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays a wreath at the National War Memorial, officially commencing the celebrations at 9:30 AM. Visitors can enter through the gates from 7 am onwards. Follow Republic Day parade live updates here.
Also read| Will India celebrate its 77th or 78th Republic Day on January 26? Know significance, chief guests
When and where to watch the R-Day parade live?
- The Republic Day parade can be viewed on Monday, January 26, via Doordarshan and its YouTube channel.
- The live telecast will also be available on All India Radio's YouTube channel and on official government websites.
- Additionally, viewers across India can watch the parade on most news channels and news websites.
The ‘Vande Mataram’ theme
According to Vivek Agarwal, secretary of the Ministry of Culture, the tableaux displayed during Republic Day in India are much more than just ceremonial displays and function as moving archives of the nation’s civilisational memory.
“Year after year, they translate ideas, values, and historical experience into a shared visual language, reaffirming that culture is not an ornament of the Republic, but its sustaining spirit. Within this continuum, Vande Mataram occupies a singular and enduring place,” according to the culture ministry.
Republic Day chief guests
Top leaders of the European Union are set to attend India's Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2026, marking a significant move as India and the bloc move towards a landmark trade agreement.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa will attend the parade as chief guests.
According to a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs, Antonio Costa and Ursulla der Leyen were invited by PM Narendra Modi. The leaders will be on a state visit to India from January 25-27, the release said.
During this time, the leaders will also co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit on January 27.
