Who is António Costa? European council President to be Republic Day 2026 chief guest, Know his Goa connection

António Costa, the President of the European Council, will be the special guest for India’s Republic Day in 2026. His visit shows the strong friendship between India and Europe. It also celebrates his personal history, as his family has roots in Goa, India.

New Delhi: January 22, 2026: India is set to celebrate its 77th Republic Day on January 26, 2026. This year’s parade on Kartavya Path is promised to be another spectacular affair showcasing Indian culture and tradition along with military strength and valour. Ahead of this year’s celebrations, here’s all you need to know.

Theme Song: 150 Years of Vande Mataram

Republic Day 2026 will celebrate 150 years of India’s national song, Vande Mataram, which played an instrumental role in the country’s freedom struggle. The amphitheatre along the Kartavya Path will be adorned with vintage paintings done by Tejendra Kumar Mitra in 1923, depicting various scenes from the song.

Moreover, the tableaux that will grace the Republic Day parade will highlight two sub-themes related to the national song: “Mantra of Freedom – Vande Mataram” and “Mantra of Prosperity – Atmanirbhar Bharat”.

Chief Guests for Republic Day 2026

India has invited two top officials from the European Union for Republic Day celebrations next year. President of the European Council, António Costa, and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen will be flying down to India to watch the Republic Day parade from New Delhi’s Kartavya Path.

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Accepting the invitation would make Costa and von der Leyen the first individuals and first set of guests from the European Union to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations as chief guests.

Unique Displays at the Republic Day Parade

As usual, there will be tableaux, cultural performances, marching contingents, and displays by troops from friendly countries. The Defence Ministry confirmed that the armed forces would showcase their might in improved formats this year.

The Indian Army marching contingent will showcase its combat-ready capabilities in a “phased battle array”. The new display involves troops marching down the Kartavya Path in the order that they would appear in a real-life battle scene, starting from the scouts/reconnaissance teams, followed by combat teams and ending with logistics and supporting teams.

The elite force from India’s Border Security Force, the Bhairav Light Commando Battalion will also be marching down the parade route for the first time.

Helicopters and fighter jets like Rafales and Apache choppers will be flying down during the flypast segment, which will involve 29 aircraft in total. All in all, it will be another exciting spectacle to end the day’s programme.

Date, Time and Ways to Watch Republic Day Celebrations

India will wake up to Republic Day celebrations with ceremonial events starting at 9:30 a.m. on January 26. The parade will begin at 10: 30 a.m. IST and can be watched live on Doordarshan TV along with other online live streams.