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In India, the tradition of calling the Chief Guest on Republic Day started in 1950.

This year the name of the Chief Guest for Republic Day has been approved. The leaders of the European Union will be the chief guests on the occasion of 77th Republic Day. European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Will will participate in the program as chief guests. According to media reports, the approval of his name as Chief Guest is also a sign of strengthening the strategic and economic relations of the European Union with India.

Both the leaders will be on a state visit to India from January 25 to 27, 2026. Along with this, he will participate in the India-EU summit. Will participate in programs related to Republic Day. AThe question arises that how is the Chief Guest selected for Republic Day and which traditions does he participate in?

How is the Chief Guest of Republic Day chosen?

In India, the tradition of inviting the Chief Guest on Republic Day started in 1950, when this special day was celebrated for the first time. This tradition continues even today. Being chosen as the Chief Guest for Republic Day is the highest honor for any foreign guest. The process of selecting the Chief Guest for the Republic Day of the country starts about 6 months before the main event. Many things have to be kept in mind in this entire process.

On how the chief guest is selected, Manbir Singh, who has been the ambassador of India, says that many factors are taken into consideration to approve the name of the guest. For example, what are India's relations with the country to which the name is to be stamped or the group or organization to which it is to be associated? What is the relation between the army, politics and economy there with India? Keeping these things in mind, the foreign guest is stamped. Only the Ministry of External Affairs gives the final approval to the name of the Chief Guest.

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President of the European Council Antonio Luís Santos da Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will be Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations.#RepublicDay2026 | #RDayWithAkashvani | #RepublicDayParade | pic.twitter.com/uKF7hRFEJn

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) January 15, 2026

Where is the Chief Guest present?

The Chief Guest is present in the entire Republic Day ceremony. There is a tradition of giving him a 21 gun salute. He is honored by giving a guard of honor at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Not only this, the President of the country organizes a special reception for the Chief Guest during his three-day state visit.

The Chief Guest reaches Rajghat to pay tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The Prime Minister organizes special events in honor of the guest. Many dignitaries including the Foreign Minister and the Vice President participate in this event. This is the reason why the honor given to the Chief Guest is considered the highest honor. This opportunity given to any world leader is very special and is recorded forever in the history of India.