India, Jan 24 : India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2026, will carry major diplomatic weight, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa set to attend the parade at Kartavya Path, New Delhi, as chief guests.
This will be the first time that the European Union’s top political leadership is being represented collectively at India’s Republic Day, underlining a significant shift in New Delhi’s engagement with Brussels and highlighting the EU’s growing importance as a unified strategic partner.
A historic first for Republic Day
While India has hosted several world leaders over the decades, the 2026 celebrations will be unique as they feature the EU’s highest decision making authorities together. The invitation reflects India’s evolving approach of viewing the European Union as a single geopolitical and economic entity rather than a loose grouping of nations.
The development comes at a time when India–EU relations are witnessing renewed momentum, particularly on trade and investment.
Boost to India–EU strategic partnership
The presence of von der Leyen and Costa is being seen as a strong diplomatic signal amid advancing negotiations on an India–EU Free Trade Agreement. Recently, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, von der Leyen described the proposed trade pact as the “mother of all deals,” indicating the scale and ambition of the negotiations.
The timing of the Republic Day invitation points to:
Deepening economic cooperation
Fresh momentum in trade talks
Expanding collaboration in technology, defence, climate action and resilient supply chains
Europe’s increasing strategic focus on India
Who are the chief guests?
Ursula von der Leyen heads the European Commission, the EU’s executive body responsible for policy-making, trade negotiations and external representation. António Costa, as President of the European Council, chairs summits of EU leaders and represents the collective political interests of member states, underscoring unity within the bloc.
Republic Day invitations and foreign policy
Inviting a foreign leader as chief guest has been a tradition since India became a republic in 1950. Over the years, the choice has mirrored India’s foreign policy priorities—from leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement to key strategic partners in the contemporary global order.
Notable past invitations include US President Barack Obama in 2015, ASEAN leaders in 2018, Egypt’s President in 2023 and France’s President Emmanuel Macron in 2024.
With the European Union’s top leadership attending in 2026, India’s Republic Day celebrations are set to spotlight the growing strategic depth of India–EU relations on the global stage.