Balloons released during the 2021 Republic Day parade in New Delhi

From history to celebration. Republic Day

Republic Day, observed on 26 January, marks the moment India formally became a republic in 1950. Independence had come three years earlier, but this date signalled a clear shift into a new national phase. It established how the country would govern itself and how public life would be organised in the future. Over time, this day has become a fixed point in India's calendar, balancing historical memory with present-day observance.

The choice of date was deliberate. On 26 January 1930, Indian leaders had announced Purna Swaraj, or complete self-rule, as their goal. Enforcing the republic on the same day, twenty years later, linked that declaration to a tangible national milestone.

On this day in New Delhi, a grand Republic Day parade is held along Kartavya Path. The event includes military formations, fly-pasts and cultural performances forming part of the day's visual programme. Thousands line the route early in the morning to secure a spot, while millions more watch the ceremony live on television. As the parade concludes, a mass balloon release fills the sky, as seen in today's image. Together, these moments turn a formal ceremony into a shared national experience.