Last Updated on January 26, 2026 1:43 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
India is celebrating the 77th Republic Day today with traditional fervour and gaiety. President Droupadi Murmu led the Nation in celebrating the Republic Day from Kartavya Path in New Delhi. The ceremony commenced with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he led the nation in paying tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath.
President Droupadi Murmu arrived at Kartavya Path in a ceremonial buggy with the chief guests of the parade, the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The National Flag was unfurled, followed by the national anthem with a 21-gun salute. President Murmu conferred the Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla with India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, the Ashoka Chakra.
The Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path today highlighted a unique blend of India’s cultural diversity and military prowess. The theme this year is ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Thirty tableaux from various States, Union Territories, and Central Government Ministries and Departments were displayed during the parade. These tableaux showcased the cultural diversity of the country by exhibiting a unique mix of 150 years of national song Vande Mataram and the nation’s rapid progress on the back of growing self-reliance across sectors.
A tri-services tableau showing replicas of major weapon systems used by the Indian military during Operation Sindoor was one of the key attractions at the parade. BrahMos and Akash weapon systems, the rocket launcher system ‘Suryastra’ with deep-strike capabilities and the Main Battle Tank Arjun were among the main military platforms that India presented during the Parade at Kartavya Path today.
The event concluded with a flypast by 29 Indian Air Force aircraft, including Rafale, Su-30, C-295, Mig-29, Apache, among others. Over 2 thousand and 500 artists presented cultural performances during the parade, with special guests from different walks of life attending the ceremony.