Republic Day 2026: All About Chief Guests, Special Guests and Theme

Republic Day 2026: India will celebrate the 77th Republic Day on Monday (January 26, 2026) with a parade at Kartavya Path in New Delhi. The day is celebrated annually to mark the formal adoption and enforcement of the Constitution on the same date in 1950, establishing India's sovereignty and democracy. The day celebrates the principles of justice, equality, liberty and fraternity. The parade will feature 30 tableaux from states, union territories and central ministries, showcasing India's cultural diversity, heritage and progress. The event will also include cultural performances and a "Battle Array" format by the Indian Army.

Also read | Republic Day 2026: Is India Celebrating 77th Or 78th Republic Day? All You Need To Know 

Republic Day 2026: Theme

The theme for this year's Republic Day is "150 Years of Vande Mataram", commemorating the national song penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. According to an official government release, the theme runs across the Republic Day Parade, cultural performances, tableaux, public competitions and outreach programmes. The theme would place the national song at the heart of this year's celebration, and connect it to freedom and cultural expression.

Also read | Republic Day 2026: List Of Items Prohibited For Spectators At Kartavya Path Parade

Republic Day 2026: Chief Guests

The chief guests for the event are Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Their presence highlights India's growing strategic partnership with the European Union, focusing on trade, technology and climate action.

Republic Day 2026: Special Guests

From best innovators to researchers, approximately 10,000 special guests (including spouses) from different fields have been invited to witness the parade, the official release by the government noted. "They have been invited to honour their contributions to nation-building and increase Jan Bhagidari in events of national importance," the release mentioned.

Also read | Why India Celebrates Republic Day On January 26 

The list of special guests is:

1. Winners of the World Athletic Para Championship
2. Farmers practising natural farming
3. Best performing farmers who received subsidies for cultivating pulses, oil seeds & maize under 'Pulses Self-Reliance Mission'
4. Transgenders and beggars rehabilitated under the PM SMILE (Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme
5. Beneficiaries of Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) Scheme
6. Trained MAITRI (Multipurpose AI Technician in Rural India) individuals, providing animal husbandry services to farmers and improving cattle breeding services
7. Heads/CEOs of companies who received incentives for Hydrogen production and Electrolyser manufacturing under the SIGHT (Strategic Intervention for Green Hydrogen Transition) program in the National Green Hydrogen Mission
8. Best performing Scientists/Technical persons involved in recent ISRO missions like Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan, etc.
9. Best Researchers/Innovators in the field of Isotope production for medical, industrial & agricultural applications
10. Researchers/Scientists under the Deep Ocean Mission
11. Best performing Students trained in Atal Tinkering Laboratories under Atal Innovation Mission
12. Winners of different international sports tournaments
13. Women producer groups provided training, loans and market linkages for dairy or organic farming under PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana
14. Best performing artisans trained under Khadi Vikas Yojana
15. Beneficiaries of the PM Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan Scheme
16. Adi Karmayogi, Adi Sahyogi & Adi Saathi engaged to empower tribal citizens by providing knowledge and awareness in various fields like health, innovation, education etc.
17. Individuals, Private Companies, FPOs, MSMEs etc., which got loans from the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund
18. Best performing Start-ups/MSMEs under Semicon India Programme
19. Best performing Scientists/Technical persons from DRDO working in key projects
20. Best performing Biotech Start-ups/Entrepreneurs under Bio E3 Policy
21. Best performing MSMEs that received capital from the Self-Reliant India (SRI) Fund
22. Unorganised sector workers receiving pension under PM Shramyogi Maandhan Yojana
23. FPO (Farmer Producer Organizations) benefited from Agri Market Infrastructure Fund
24. Women entrepreneur, Divyaang, SC & STs, ex-servicemen who received special incentives to open Janaushadhi Kendras under Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Pariyojana
25. Best performing shopkeepers/traders/MSMEs who have transferred GST 2.0 benefits to the customers
26. Best performing Start-ups in the field of Innovation, Space, Medical etc.
27. Winners of the Veer Gatha project
28. Sarpanches of Panchayats, which achieved saturation in the Central Govt. Schemes
29. Rural people who received pucca houses under the PM Awaas Yojana Grameen Scheme
30. Farmers provided financial protection against crop loss due to natural disaster, pests & diseases under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
31. Best performing Women artisans trained under the Mahila Coir Yojana
32. Best performing Anganwadi workers of Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0
33. Street vendors benefited from PM SVANidhi (Street Vendor's AatmaNirbhar Nidhi) Scheme
34. Best performing Artisans, Sportspersons, Tribal people, Entrepreneurs, singers, dancers etc. from the North Eastern region
35. Women entrepreneurs who received loans through the PM Mudra Yojana
36. Construction workers from Border Roads Organisation (BRO)
37. Water warriors under the National Mission for Clean Ganga
38. Beneficiaries of National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC)
39. Best performing Interns of the PM Internship Scheme
40. Children who are winners of the National School Band Competition
41. Best performing Workers/Volunteers of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
42. Best performing Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS)
43. Best performing My Bharat Volunteers
44. Best performing Women of Self Help Group under NRLM, Lakhpati Didi
45. Best performing Artisans & Craftspeople trained under the PM Vishwakarma scheme
46. Construction workers of Kartavya Bhawan
47. People from rural households, poor & marginalized communities, SC & ST majority villages, Vulnerable tribal groups, etc. received tap water connection under Jal Jeevan Mission
48. Best performing Intellectual Property (IP) Holders i.e. Patents, Design, Copyright, Trade Mark etc
49. Participants of 'Mann ki Baat'
50. Women beneficiaries under the Self-Help Group Livelihood Component of SEED
51. Foreign delegates & accompanying Indian contingent of Youth Exchange Programme (YEP)-2026
52. International & Indian Monk delegations attending 2nd Global Buddhist Summit 2026
53. Medal winners of the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Junior (IOAA, Jr) 2025

The special guests will be seated at Kartavya Path, and arrangements have been made for them to visit the National War Memorial, PM Sangrahalay and other prominent places in Delhi.