India's 77th Republic Day 2026 — EU Chief Guests, Padma Awards, Ashoka Chakra, and the LR-AShM Hypersonic Missile

🗞️ Why in News India celebrated its 77th Republic Day on January 26, 2026 — an edition marked by historic firsts: both top EU leaders served as chief guests simultaneously, DRDO unveiled its Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM), Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla received the Ashoka Chakra for India’s first ISS mission, and 131 Padma Awards were announced including 16 posthumous recipients.

77th Republic Day — Setting the Context

January 26, 2026 marked the 76th anniversary of the Constitution of India coming into force (the Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949 but came into force on January 26, 1950 — hence the “Republic”). The Republic Day parade is India’s grandest military and cultural spectacle.

Venue: Kartavya Path, New Delhi (renamed from Rajpath in September 2022; the name means “Duty Path” — a shift from the colonial “Rajpath” meaning “King’s Way”).

Theme for 2026: “150 Years of Vande Mataram”

• Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed Vande Mataram in 1876
• Published in his novel Anandmath in 1882
• First sung at the Indian National Congress session in 1896 (by Rabindranath Tagore, according to some accounts)
• Declared the National Song (not National Anthem); Jana Gana Mana is the National Anthem
• First two stanzas recognised as the National Song; Fundamental Duty to respect it under Article 51A(a)
• The 150-year theme aligned with 2026 being India’s 75th year as a Republic

EU Leadership as Chief Guests — A Historic First

In an unprecedented diplomatic gesture, both the EU’s top leaders attended Republic Day 2026 as chief guests:

Why this is historically significant:

1. First time the EU (as a collective entity rather than individual nations) served as Republic Day chief guest
2. First time an EU military contingent participated in a Republic Day parade outside Europe
3. The choice signals India’s recognition of the EU as a geopolitical actor, not merely an economic bloc
4. India has traditionally invited heads of individual states (US President, French President, Russian President)
5. The EU visit coincided with the 16th EU-India Summit (January 27), at which the India-EU Security and Defence Partnership was signed and the India-EU FTA was concluded

EU structure — UPSC note:

• European Council: Body of heads of state/government of EU member states; sets EU’s political direction; President is António Costa; decisions by consensus
• European Commission: EU’s executive body; proposes legislation; enforces EU law; President is Ursula von der Leyen; acts like a “government”
• High Representative for Foreign Affairs: Kaja Kallas (Estonia) — EU’s “foreign minister”; also VP of Commission

The Republic Day Parade — Key Highlights

Ceremony:

• President Droupadi Murmu unfurled the National Flag; traditional 21-gun salute by 105mm Light Field Guns (1721 Ceremonial Battery, 172 Field Regiment)
• Parade Commander: Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar
• Special musical piece composed by M.M. Keeravani (Oscar-winning composer of Naatu Naatu for RRR, 2022)

Military highlights:

• Debut of the newly raised Bhairav Battalion in the Republic Day parade
• DRDO’s LR-AShM (Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile) made its first public appearance (see next section)
• 30 tableaux from States, UTs, and Central Ministries

Post-Republic Day events:

• Bharat Parv: January 26–31 at Red Fort — cultural showcase of India’s diversity
• Beating Retreat ceremony: January 29, 2026 at Vijay Chowk (marks end of Republic Day festivities; traditionally features buglers, illuminated North/South Block)
• At-Home Reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan: January 26

DRDO’s LR-AShM — India’s Hypersonic Sea-Denial Missile

One of the most significant showcases at Republic Day 2026 was the first public display of the Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM).

What Makes a Missile “Hypersonic”?

The term hypersonic refers to speeds of Mach 5 or above (5 times the speed of sound; sound travels ~343 m/s at sea level, so Mach 5 = ~6,174 km/h). Traditional ballistic missiles also travel at hypersonic speeds, but what distinguishes hypersonic weapons (HGVs and HCMs) is their maneuverability during flight — unlike a ballistic trajectory, they can change direction unpredictably, making interception by existing missile defence systems extremely difficult.

LR-AShM Technical Specifications

Why Sea-Denial Matters for India

India’s maritime strategy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is built around two complementary concepts:

1. Power projection: India’s own carrier battle groups, submarines, and overseas naval presence
2. Sea denial: Preventing adversarial navies (especially China’s growing IOR presence) from operating freely near India’s coasts and in key chokepoints

The LR-AShM dramatically enhances sea-denial capability by threatening any surface vessel within a 1,500 km radius — effectively covering the entire northern Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal from land-based launch platforms.

Hypersonic Nations Club

The display of LR-AShM places India in the elite group of nations with operational or near-operational hypersonic weapons:

• Russia: Kinzhal (Mach 10; air-launched), Avangard (HGV), Zircon (anti-ship)
• China: DF-ZF (HGV), YJ-21 (carrier-killer hypersonic anti-ship)
• USA: LRHW (Dark Eagle), HACM (air-launched)
• North Korea: Hwasong-8 (HGV, tested)
• India: LR-AShM (sea-denial), HSTDV (hypersonic technology demonstrator tested successfully 2020)

India tested the HSTDV (Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle) successfully in September 2020 — the enabling technology for LR-AShM.

Padma Awards 2026 — Complete Analysis

Padma Awards are India’s highest civilian honours, instituted in 1954. They are awarded by the President of India on the recommendation of the Padma Awards Committee (chaired by the Cabinet Secretary).

Constitutional Note: Article 18 of the Constitution abolishes titles of honour. The Supreme Court has clarified that Padma Awards are not “titles” within the meaning of Article 18 — they do not become part of the recipient’s name and carry no official privilege.

2026 Awards at a Glance

Padma Vibhushan 2026 (5 recipients)

Notable Padma Bhushan 2026 (selected from 13)

Notable Padma Shri 2026 (selected from 113)

State Representation

Maharashtra (15) > Tamil Nadu (13) > UP (11) = West Bengal (11) > Kerala (8)

Gallantry Awards 2026 — Ashoka Chakra for India’s ISS Astronaut

Republic Day 2026 also saw India’s most prestigious peacetime gallantry award — the Ashoka Chakra — go to an astronaut for the first time in India’s history.

The Ashoka Chakra

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla — Ashoka Chakra

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (Indian Air Force) received the Ashoka Chakra for being the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Axiom-4).

Axiom Mission 4 (Axiom-4):

• Launched by Axiom Space (US private space company) in partnership with NASA
• First mission to carry an Indian astronaut to the ISS
• Shukla’s mission marks India’s participation in crewed ISS operations
• Part of India’s growing civil space cooperation with the USA (iCET framework, Artemis Accords)

Historical context — Indians in space:

1. Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (1984) — First Indian in space; Soviet Soyuz T-11 mission; Indo-Soviet collaboration; famous exchange with Indira Gandhi (“Saare Jahan Se Achha”)
2. Kalpana Chawla (1997, 2003) — Indian-origin American astronaut; died in Columbia Space Shuttle disaster, February 1, 2003
3. Sunita Williams — Indian-origin American astronaut; multiple ISS missions
4. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (2026) — First Indian to reach ISS

Other notable awards:

• Kirti Chakra: Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair — one of the four Gaganyaan astronauts
• Shaurya Chakra: Lieutenant Commander Dilna K. and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A. — first women naval officers to receive the Shaurya Chakra

Total gallantry awards 2026: 70 Armed Forces personnel (6 posthumous) + 301 defence decorations + 982 police/fire/home guard personnel.

Vande Mataram — UPSC Background Note

Since the Republic Day theme revolved around Vande Mataram:

Composition history:

• Written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (also spelled Chattopadhyaya/Chaterjee)
• Composed: 1876 at Kantalpara (now in Bangladesh)
• Published: 1882 in the novel Anandmath (a fictional novel set during the Sannyasi Rebellion, 1760s)
• First sung at INC session: 1896 (Calcutta, by Rabindranath Tagore/others)

Status and controversy:

• National Song (not National Anthem; the distinction is important)
• The first two stanzas are the officially recognised National Song; later stanzas contain references to Hindu goddesses which caused controversy
• Tagore’s view: Even Tagore had reservations about the later stanzas; supported the first two
• Muslim League objection: Object to some stanzas on theological grounds; led to resolution adopting only first two stanzas
• Constitutional provisions: Fundamental Duty under Article 51A to respect and preserve national symbols including national song

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Republic Day 2026 date (January 26); Kartavya Path; EU chief guests (António Costa + Ursula von der Leyen); theme “150 Years of Vande Mataram”; EU European Council vs European Commission distinction; Kaja Kallas (EU HR/VP); LR-AShM (Mach 5+, ~1,500 km range, DRDO, sea-denial); Ashoka Chakra (highest peacetime gallantry) — Shubhanshu Shukla, Axiom-4, first Indian on ISS; Rakesh Sharma 1984 (first Indian in space, Soyuz T-11); Padma Awards 2026 (131, 5 Padma Vibhushan, 16 posthumous); Padma Awards instituted 1954; Vande Mataram composed 1876, published Anandmath 1882; National Song ≠ National Anthem; Article 51A(a).

Mains GS-1: Vande Mataram controversy — communal harmony, composite nationalism; India’s cultural symbols. GS-2: India-EU strategic partnership; EU structure; India’s strategic partnerships (Quad, EU, BRICS); gallantry award system; Padma Awards and civilian recognition. GS-3: Hypersonic missile technology; sea-denial strategy in Indian Ocean; DRDO and defence indigenisation; India’s human spaceflight programme; NASA-ISRO cooperation; Axiom Space and private space companies.

📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia

77th Republic Day 2026:

• Date: January 26, 2026 | Venue: Kartavya Path (renamed from Rajpath, September 2022)
• Theme: “150 Years of Vande Mataram”
• Chief Guests: António Costa (European Council President) + Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission President)
• Constitution came into force: January 26, 1950 | Adopted: November 26, 1949
• Parade Commander: Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar
• Music: M.M. Keeravani (Oscar for Naatu Naatu, RRR, 2022)
• New unit: Bhairav Battalion (debut)
• Beating Retreat: January 29, Vijay Chowk

LR-AShM:

• Full form: Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile
• Developer: DRDO, Ministry of Defence
• Speed: Mach 5+ average (Mach 10 peak); Range: ~1,500 km
• Propulsion: Two-stage solid rocket motor
• Predecessor tech: HSTDV — Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (DRDO; tested successfully 2020)
• Hypersonic = Mach 5+ (≥5 times speed of sound)

Padma Awards:

• Instituted: 1954 | Given by: President of India
• Padma Awards Committee: Chaired by Cabinet Secretary
• 2026: 131 total (5 PV + 13 PB + 113 PS); Women: 19; International: 6; Posthumous: 16
• Padma Vibhushan recipients: Dharmendra Singh Deol, V.S. Achuthanandan, Justice K.T. Thomas, P. Narayanan, N. Rajam
• Constitutional status: Not “titles” under Article 18 (SC clarification)

Gallantry Awards:

• Highest wartime: Param Vir Chakra | Highest peacetime: Ashoka Chakra
• Ashoka Chakra 2026: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (IAF) — Axiom Mission 4, first Indian on ISS
• Second Indian in space (first: Rakesh Sharma, 1984, Soyuz T-11)
• Kirti Chakra: Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair (Gaganyaan astronaut)
• First women naval Shaurya Chakra: Lt Cdr Dilna K. + Lt Cdr Roopa A.

Vande Mataram:

• Author: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
• Composed: 1876 | Published in Anandmath: 1882
• First sung at INC: 1896 (Calcutta Congress session)
• Status: National Song (not National Anthem — Jana Gana Mana is the anthem)
• FD: Article 51A(a) — respect for national symbols including national song

Other Relevant Facts:

• EU structure: European Council (heads of govt, António Costa president) ≠ European Commission (executive, von der Leyen president) ≠ Council of the European Union (sectoral ministers) ≠ European Council ≠ Council of Europe (separate body, not EU)
• Kartavya Path: 3 km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate; renamed September 8, 2022
• Bharat Parv: Annual event at Red Fort, January 26–31; cultural exhibitions + food festival
• Axiom Space: Houston-based private space company; Axiom-1 (2022), Axiom-2 (2023), Axiom-3 (2024), Axiom-4 (2025/2026)
• Gaganyaan astronauts (4): Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Pratap, Shubhanshu Shukla
• Shaurya Chakra: Named after Hindu goddess Durga; established 1952; upgraded/renamed from “Ashoka Chakra Class III” in 1967
• JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha): Founded 1972 by Shibhu Soren and others

Sources: PIB, DRDO, President of India, The Hindu, Indian Express