India celebrates 77th Republic Day with Grand Parade at Kartavya Path, EU leaders in attendance

India marked its 77th Republic Day with a grand ceremonial parade at Kartavya Path in New Delhi on Sunday, showcasing the country’s democratic spirit, cultural diversity and growing global stature. President Droupadi Murmu unfurled the national flag amid a 21-gun salute, followed by the rendition of the national anthem, setting a solemn and patriotic tone for the celebrations.

The theme for this year, “150 Years of Vande Mataram,” honours Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s iconic song, which became a powerful symbol of unity and inspiration during the freedom movement and continues to resonate with generations of Indians.

The Republic Day Parade will highlight India’s development journey, rich cultural heritage and military preparedness. Marching contingents from the Army, Navy and Air Force demonstrated discipline and strength, while vibrant tableaux from states and central ministries depicted key social, economic and technological achievements. The event also reflected India’s emphasis on indigenisation and self-reliance, particularly in defence and innovation.

Adding international significance to the celebrations, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Costa is present at the parade as chief guests. 

The European Union contingent featured four flag bearers carrying distinct flags — the European Union flag, the most recognisable symbol of the bloc; the flag of the European Union Military Staff; the flag of EU Naval Force Atalanta; and the flag of EU Naval Force Aspides — displayed on three gypsies during the parade.

A major highlight of the day was the conferral of the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, on Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a test pilot with the Indian Air Force. He was honoured for becoming the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station, a landmark achievement that reflects India’s rising capabilities in space exploration and scientific advancement.

Earlier in the morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Republic Day greetings to citizens across the country. Calling for renewed national resolve, he urged people to work with greater energy and enthusiasm towards building a “Viksit Bharat”. In a message shared on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said the occasion should inspire unity, confidence and collective determination as India continues its journey towards becoming a developed nation.

PM Narendra Modi also paid tribute to the soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty on the occasion of India’s 77th Republic Day. He visited the memorial early in the morning, laid a wreath, and observed a moment of silence in honour of the fallen heroes.

For the first time, the Republic Day Parade presented a phased ‘Battle Array Format’ of the Indian Army with an integrated aerial component, offering a comprehensive view of modern battlefield operations. The display featured a high-mobility reconnaissance vehicle along with India’s first indigenously designed armoured light specialist vehicle, highlighting advances in mobility and indigenous defence engineering.

Adding an international dimension to the parade, a military contingent from the European Union also participated, carrying the flags of the EU Military Staff and the naval operations Atalanta and Aspides. This marked the European Union’s first-ever participation in a military parade outside Europe, underscoring growing defence cooperation.

The parade also showcased major weapon systems such as the Suryastra Universal Rocket Launcher System, the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Akash missile system, reinforcing India’s expanding indigenous missile and rocket capabilities.