India displays military might, cultural pride at Kartavya Path
India celebrated its 77th Republic Day on Monday, January 26, 2026, with a grand display of military prowess and cultural heritage as missiles, armed forces battalions and artists vied for attention on the Kartavya Road. while 150This year National Song celebrations, Vande Mataramwas the prominent theme; The event also celebrated the country’s achievements during last year’s “Operation Sindoor”.
President Droupadi Murmu presided over the event in Delhi, while European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen graced the occasion as chief guests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Ms. Murmu and prominent guests at the podium, who arrived in traditional horse-drawn carriages. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and several other Union Ministers, army brass, foreign diplomats and senior officials were in the audience.
Also read | 77th Republic Day in photos
The celebrations began with Ms. Murmu conferring the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime bravery award, to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla for becoming the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station in June 2024.
More than 100 artists gathered to kick off the celebration. Vividata Mein Ekta (Unity in Diversity) performs with traditional musical instruments from across the country to showcase the country’s rich cultural diversity.
The parade was led by Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Zone, Parade Commander, a second-generation officer.
The tri-service tableau displayed replicas of major weapon systems deployed by defense forces during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. The theme continued as the day progressed as various weapons used during the operation were displayed, including BrahMos missiles, Akash missile systems and S-400 systems. The air show featured a Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter flying the ‘Operation Sindoor’ flag, while the Indian Air Force put up a spectacular flying display with Rafale, Sukhoi, MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft flying in ‘Sindoor formation’.
Suryastra universal rocket launcher system, Main Battle Tank Arjun, Dhanush artillery guns and Divyastra battery were also displayed.
The 77th Republic Day celebration also witnessed the first parade of the newly formed Bhairav Battalion, a special assault infantry unit aimed at bridging the capabilities of conventional infantry and special forces.
Also participating in the parade was a military contingent from the European Union, carrying its own military personnel flag and the flags of Operations Atalanta and Aspides, as well as the group’s naval operations. This was the EU’s first participation in such an event outside Europe.
A total of 30 paintings, including 17 belonging to States and Union Territories and 13 belonging to various Ministries and Departments, were rolled down Kartavya Road. Showcasing India’s first Water Metro, Kerala’s chart also depicted the State’s achievement of 100% digital literacy and green mobility, rural prosperity and women-led digital empowerment. Chhattisgarh’s “Freedom Mantra” themed painting, Vande Mataram”, paid tribute to tribal freedom fighters and featured Veer Gundadhur of the 1910 Bhumkal Rebellion and the State’s first martyr Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh.
While Uttar Pradesh showcased the cultural landscape of Bundelkhand, including the Ekamukha Linga of Kalinjar, the painting of Gujarat was also highlighted Vande Mataram and honored Bhikaji Cama, underlining the role of the state in the freedom movement, the spirit of swadeshi and self-reliance. The table also included defense preparedness, disaster resilience and education reforms within the scope of the National Education Policy, skill development, urban transformation, cultural heritage and technological self-confidence.
The Home Ministry’s chart shows the entry into force of three new criminal laws that come into force on July 1, 2024, replacing the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act. Ministry of Culture celebrated its 150th anniversary Vande MataramA British-era recording, it depicts Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s composition and interpretations of the song across different generations, including GenZ. Focusing on a PM SHRI school, the Department of School Education’s chart showed the development of India’s information systems under the National Education Policy 2020.
More than 10,000 guests from different walks of life attended the celebration. This year, the areas where the parade took place were named after rivers flowing across the country: Beas, Brahmaputra, Chambal, Chenab, Gandak, Ganga, Ghagra, Godavari, Sindhu, Jhelum, Kaveri, Kosi, Krishna, Mahanadi, Narmada, Pennar, Periyar, Ravi, Sone, Sutlej, Teesta, Vaigai and Yamuna.
It was published – 26 January 2026 22:19 IST
