India’s 77th Republic Day Parade on January 26, 2026, at Kartavya Path, New Delhi, is set to present a sweeping panorama of the nation’s cultural diversity, freedom legacy, technological progress and military self-reliance. With 30 tableaux, cutting-edge DRDO weapon systems, and a unifying national theme, the celebrations will underline India’s journey from its freedom struggle to its emergence as a self-reliant global power.
While the theme of the Republic Day 2026 celebrations is ‘150 years of Vande Mataram’, the Ministry of Defence shared that the tableaux this year will revolve around two overarching themes – ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’, marking 150 years of the national song, and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, highlighting India’s growth through self-reliance.
Together, the themes aim to blend India’s civilisational ethos, cultural heritage and contemporary achievements, presenting a narrative of continuity from the freedom movement to a Viksit Bharat.
Republic Day Parade 2026: How may tableaux will roll down Kartavya Path?
A total of 30 tableaux will be part of the grand parade – 17 tableaux from States and Union Territories; 13 tableaux from Ministries, Departments and Armed Services. Each tableau has been curated to reflect local identity, national priorities and the spirit of self-reliance. The State and UT tableaux will spotlight India’s regional richness and innovation:
Assam: Asharikandi terracotta craft village
Chhattisgarh: Vande Mataram as the mantra of freedom
Gujarat: Swadeshi, self-reliance and freedom
Himachal Pradesh: Dev Bhoomi and Veer Bhoomi
Jammu & Kashmir: Handicrafts and folk dances
Kerala: Water Metro project and 100% digital literacy
Maharashtra: Ganeshotsav as a symbol of self-reliance
Manipur: Journey from agricultural fields to global markets
Nagaland: Hornbill Festival focusing on culture and tourism
Odisha: Soil to Silicon — tradition meeting innovation
Puducherry: Craft heritage and Auroville’s vision
Rajasthan: Bikaner Gold (Usta) art
Tamil Nadu: Mantra of Prosperity and self-reliant India
Uttar Pradesh: Cultural legacy of Bundelkhand
West Bengal: Bengal’s role in India’s freedom movement
Madhya Pradesh: Tribute to Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar
Punjab: 350th martyrdom year of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji
What will ministries and armed services highlight?
The Ministry and Services tableaux will focus on governance, reforms, culture and national security:
Air Headquarters: Veterans and nation-building through war
Naval Headquarters: Samudra Se Samriddhi, underlining maritime prosperity
Department of Military Affairs: Tri-Services tableau on jointness
Ministry of Culture: Vande Mataram – The Soul Cry of a Nation
Education Ministry: NEP 2020 and Viksit Bharat
Ministry of AYUSH: AYUSH ka Tantra, Swasthya ka Mantra
Home Ministry: Disaster resilience (NDMA-NDRF) and new criminal laws
Housing & Urban Affairs: 150 years of Vande Mataram
Information & Broadcasting: Bharat Katha: Shruti, Kriti, Drishti
Panchayati Raj: SVAMITVA scheme
Power Ministry: Prakash Ganga for energy self-reliance
Skill Development Ministry: Future-ready India powered by skills
Republic Day Parade 2026 dress rehearsals
A full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade was held on Friday (January 23, 2026) at Kartavya Path in New Delhi, offering a vibrant preview of the celebrations ahead.
The rehearsal brought together India’s rich cultural heritage, military strength and regional diversity as marching contingents from the Armed Forces and colourful tableaux from various states rolled past the ceremonial boulevard. As the nation prepares for the main event, the display reflected the spirit of unity in diversity.
DRDO to showcase India’s defence capabilities
A major highlight of Republic Day 2026 will be the DRDO’s display of indigenous defence technologies, reinforcing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence. At Kartavya Path, DRDO will showcase the Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) with a launcher.
Designed for the Indian Navy’s coastal defence, the missile is capable of Mach 10 speeds, follows a quasi-ballistic, low-altitude trajectory. It can engage static and moving targets, while also uses indigenous avionics and sensors, making it hard to detect by enemy radars.
What will be displayed at Bharat Parv 2026?
At Bharat Parv at Red Fort (January 26–31, 2026), DRDO’s tableau themed ‘Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines’ will highlight underwater warfare systems that act as force multipliers for the Navy. These include Integrated Combat Suite (ICS) for advanced situational awareness, ire-Guided Heavy Weight Torpedo (WGHWT) for anti-submarine warfare, and Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system for long, silent underwater endurance.
Several other indigenous systems will also feature in Armed Forces contingents, including Arjun MBT, BrahMos, Akash missile, ATAGS artillery gun, Nag missile system and battlefield surveillance radars.
Apart from these, several other DRDO-developed systems like Arjun Main Battle Tank, Nag Missile System (NAMIS-II), Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, BrahMos Missile, Akash, Battle Field Surveillance Radar and Anti-Tank Guided Missile are also be displayed in Armed Forces contingents during the parade at Kartavya Path.