Indonesia President Prabovo Subyanto is the chief guest at this year’s Republic Day celebrations, but even before that the heads of many countries have become part of this celebration of Indian democracy.
These include former South African President Nelson Mandela, Russian President Vladimir Putin, former US President Barack Obama and former Iran President Mohammad Khatmi.
Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron was the chief guest of the Republic Day celebrations, while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi adorned the occasion in 2023.
There was no chief guest on the Republic Day celebrations in 2021 and 2022 in view of the Kovid-19 epidemic.
In 2020, the then President of Brazil, Zayer Bolsonaro, was the chief guest at the Republic Day ceremony.
South African President Cyril Ramfosa was the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade in 2019, while in 2018 all the leaders of all 10 ‘ASEAN’ countries attended the ceremony.
In 2017, the then Yuvraj of Abu Dhabi and currently the United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan were the chief guest at the ceremony, while in 2016 the French President François Hollande adorned the occasion.
Barack Obama saw the parade as the chief guest in 2015 as US President.
In 2014, the then Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe was the chief guest at the ceremony, while King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk of Bhutan was witness to the parade in 2013.
The heads of state and heads of state participating in the Republic Day celebrations include Nicholas Sarkozy, Vladimir Putin, Nelson Mandela, John Major, Mohammad Khatami and Jacks Shik.
Mandela attended the then South African President in 1995, while South Korean President Lee Mung Bak saw the parade in 2010.
In 2008, Sarkozy attended the ceremony as the French President, while another French President Shiraq adorned the occasion in 1998.