Chief Guest of Republic Day 2024 in India: French President Emmanuel Macron has been invited as the chief guest for India’s 2024 Republic Day celebrations in the national capital. Significantly, this will mark the 6th occasion that the leader of France has been invited to be the chief guest at the major national event commemorating India’s constitution coming into effect. Previous French presidents have also been given the honor of attending India’s Republic Day parade and celebrations as a distinguished guest of the Indian government, underscoring the special nature of India-France bilateral relations. President Macron continuing this tradition signifies the strong ties shared between the two democracies.
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Who is Emmanuel Macron? – Republic Day 2024 Chief Guest
Emmanuel Macron is the current President of France, serving since 2017. He’s a young and dynamic leader who has made waves on both the national and international stage. Here’s a glimpse into his background and what makes him a significant figure for India’s Republic Day 2024:
Political & Professional Background:
- Born in 1977, Macron graduated from prestigious French schools and pursued a career in investment banking.
- Entered politics in 2012 under President François Hollande, joining the Socialist Party.
- Founded his own centrist party, La République En Marche (REM), in 2016.
- Won a surprising victory in the 2017 presidential election, becoming the youngest French president in history.
- Re-elected in 2022, demonstrating continued public support.
Significance for India:
- Strong bilateral ties: France and India share a long history of diplomatic and cultural relations. Macron’s visit signifies the strength and importance of this partnership.
- Strategic Partnership: Both countries collaborate on various fronts, including defense, climate change, and space exploration. This visit offers an opportunity to further strengthen these ties.
- Global leadership: Macron is a prominent voice on the global stage, known for his advocacy for multilateralism and international cooperation. Hosting him shows India’s engagement with global issues.
- Personal connection: Prime Minister Modi and President Macron have established a personal rapport, which strengthens the India-France relationship. Their interaction during the Republic Day celebrations will be closely watched.
Beyond politics:
- A cultural enthusiast: Macron is known for his appreciation of art, literature, and music. This aligns with India’s rich cultural heritage, potentially fostering deeper cultural ties.
- Modern and progressive: Macron represents a new generation of European leaders with progressive views on social issues. This resonates with India’s young population and aspirations for a modern society.
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Chief Guest of Republic Day in India Lists (1950-2024)
The practice of extending invitations to leaders of friendly nations to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations began in 1950, with the first chief guest being Indonesian President Sukarno.
Apart from knowing who is the chief guest of Republic Day 2024 in India, below is the list of Republic Day Chief Guests in India from 1950 to 2024.
Year |
Chief Guest |
Country |
Designation |
1950 |
Sukarno |
Indonesia |
President of Indonesia |
1951 |
Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah |
Nepal |
King of Nepal |
1952 |
No information available |
||
1953 |
|||
1954 |
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck |
Bhutan |
King of Bhutan |
1955 |
Malik Ghulam Muhammad |
Pakistan |
Governor-General of Pakistan |
1956 |
Rab Butler |
United Kingdom |
Chancellor of the Exchequer |
Kōtarō Tanaka |
Japan |
Chief Justice of Japan |
|
1957 |
Georgy Zhukov[9] |
Soviet Union |
Minister of Defence |
1958 |
Ye Jianying[10] |
China |
Marshal of the People’s Liberation Army |
1959 |
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh |
United Kingdom |
Consort of Queen Elizabeth II |
1960 |
Kliment Voroshilov |
Soviet Union |
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet |
1961 |
Queen Elizabeth II |
United Kingdom |
Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms |
1962 |
Viggo Kampmann |
Denmark |
Prime Minister of Denmark |
1963 |
Norodom Sihanouk |
Cambodia |
King of Cambodia |
1964 |
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma |
United Kingdom |
Chief of the Defence Staff |
1965 |
Rana Abdul Hamid |
Pakistan |
Minister of Food and Agriculture |
1966 |
No information available |
||
1967 |
Mohammed Zahir Shah |
Afghanistan |
King of Afghanistan |
1968 |
Alexei Kosygin |
Soviet Union |
Chairman of the Council of Ministers |
Josip Broz Tito |
Yugoslavia |
President of Yugoslavia |
|
1969 |
Todor Zhivkov |
Bulgaria |
Prime Minister of Bulgaria |
1970 |
Baudouin |
Belgium |
King of Belgium |
1971 |
Julius Nyerere |
Tanzania |
President of Tanzania |
1972 |
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam |
Mauritius |
Prime Minister of Mauritius |
1973 |
Mobutu Sese Seko |
Zaire |
President of Zaire |
1974 |
Josip Broz Tito |
Yugoslavia |
President of Yugoslavia |
Sirimavo Bandaranaike |
Sri Lanka |
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka |
|
1975 |
Kenneth Kaunda |
Zambia |
President of Zambia |
1976 |
Jacques Chirac |
France |
Prime Minister of France |
1977 |
Edward Gierek |
Poland |
First Secretary of the Polish United Workers’ Party |
1978 |
Patrick Hillery |
Ireland |
President of Ireland |
1979 |
Malcolm Fraser |
Australia |
Prime Minister of Australia |
1980 |
Valéry Giscard d’Estaing |
France |
President of France |
1981 |
Jose Lopez Portillo |
Mexico |
President of Mexico |
1982 |
Juan Carlos I |
Spain |
King of Spain |
1983 |
Shehu Shagari |
Nigeria |
President of Nigeria |
1984 |
Jigme Singye Wangchuck |
Bhutan |
King of Bhutan |
1985 |
Raúl Alfonsín |
Argentina |
President of Argentina |
1986 |
Andreas Papandreou |
Greece |
Prime Minister of Greece |
1987 |
Alan Garcia |
Peru |
President of Peru |
1988 |
J. R. Jayewardene |
Sri Lanka |
President of Sri Lanka |
1989 |
Nguyễn Văn Linh |
Vietnam |
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam |
1990 |
Anerood Jugnauth |
Mauritius |
Prime Minister of Mauritius |
1991 |
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom |
Maldives |
President of the Maldives |
1992 |
Mário Soares |
Portugal |
President of Portugal |
1993 |
John Major |
United Kingdom |
Prime Minister of United Kingdom |
1994 |
Goh Chok Tong |
Singapore |
Prime Minister of Singapore |
1995 |
Nelson Mandela |
South Africa |
President of South Africa |
1996 |
Fernando Henrique Cardoso |
Brazil |
President of Brazil |
1997 |
Basdeo Panday |
Trinidad and Tobago |
Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago |
1998 |
Jacques Chirac |
France |
President of France |
1999 |
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah |
Nepal |
King of Nepal |
2000 |
Olusegun Obasanjo |
Nigeria |
President of Nigeria |
2001 |
Abdelaziz Bouteflika |
Algeria |
President of Algeria |
2002 |
Cassam Uteem |
Mauritius |
President of Mauritius |
2003 |
Mohammed Khatami |
Iran |
President of Iran |
2004 |
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva |
Brazil |
President of Brazil |
2005 |
Jigme Singye Wangchuck |
Bhutan |
King of Bhutan |
2006 |
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud |
Saudi Arabia |
King of Saudi Arabia |
2007 |
Vladimir Putin |
Russia |
President of Russia |
2008 |
Nicolas Sarkozy |
France |
President of France |
2009 |
Nursultan Nazarbayev |
Kazakhstan |
President of Kazakhstan |
2010 |
Lee Myung Bak[48] |
South Korea |
President of South Korea |
2011 |
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono |
Indonesia |
President of Indonesia |
2012 |
Yingluck Shinawatra |
Thailand |
Prime Minister of Thailand |
2013 |
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck |
Bhutan |
King of Bhutan |
2014 |
Shinzo Abe |
Japan |
Prime Minister of Japan |
2015 |
Barack Obama |
United States |
President of the United States |
2016 |
François Hollande |
France |
President of France |
2017 |
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
United Arab Emirates |
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi |
2018 |
Hassanal Bolkiah |
Brunei |
Sultan of Brunei |
Hun Sen |
Cambodia |
Prime Minister of Cambodia |
|
Joko Widodo |
Indonesia |
President of Indonesia |
|
Thongloun Sisoulith |
Laos |
Prime Minister of Laos |
|
Najib Razak |
Malaysia |
Prime Minister of Malaysia |
|
Aung San Suu Kyi |
Myanmar |
State Counsellor of Myanmar |
|
Rodrigo Duterte |
Philippines |
President of the Philippines |
|
Lee Hsien Loong |
Singapore |
Prime Minister of Singapore |
|
Prayut Chan-o-cha |
Thailand |
Prime Minister of Thailand |
|
Nguyễn Xuân Phúc |
Vietnam |
Prime Minister of Vietnam |
|
2019 |
Cyril Ramaphosa |
South Africa |
President of South Africa |
2020 |
Jair Bolsonaro |
Brazil |
President of Brazil |
2021 |
No chief guest due to COVID-19 pandemic |
||
2022 |
|||
2023 |
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi |
Egypt |
President of Egypt |
2024 |
Emmanuel Macron |
France |
President of France |
Why is This Custom of the Chief Guest of Republic Day in India?
India has been inviting the head of state or government of a foreign country as the state guest of honour for the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi since 1950. The selection of the guest country is based on strategic, economic, and political considerations. The main goal of inviting a foreign leader is to strengthen bilateral relations and showcase the diversity and prosperity of Indian culture.
Who was the first chief guest at the Republic Day parade?
Indonesian President Sukarno was the first chief guest of India’s inaugural Republic Day parade on January 26, 1950.
What is the Republic Day 2024 theme?
The 2024 Republic Day theme is ”India – Mother of Democracy” and ”Viksit Bharat” (Developed India).
What happens during the Republic Day Parade?
The annual celebrations marking the occasion feature magnificent military and cultural displays. An grand parade showcasing our rich cultural and military heritage is presented in the capital city. It is attended by distinguished foreign dignitaries, Indian politicians, and the general public. Various states and union territories depict their culture, heritage and other themes through colorful tableaus at the parade.
What is the time and venue of the Republic Day Parade 2024?
Time: 10:00 am (Commencement time: 9:30 am)
Venue: The parade marches from Raisina Hill near Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s Palace) along Rajpath past India Gate to the historic Red Fort. Its route extends over five kilometers.
What is special about this year’s Parade?
This year’s Republic Day parade will feature two exclusive women contingents from the defence forces marching. “One contingent, comprising 144 personnel, will be made up entirely of women soldiers, with 60 from the Army and the rest from the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy,” stated defence officials.
FAQs on The Chief Guest of Republic Day in India
The chief guest for the 2024 Republic Day celebrations in India is Emmanuel Macron, President of France
A chief guest is invited for the Republic Day celebrations in India as a way to strengthen bilateral relations and showcase the diversity and prosperity of Indian culture.
The chief guest for Republic Day in India is chosen based on strategic, economic, and political considerations.
Inviting a foreign leader as the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations in India has been a long-standing tradition that started in 1950. Since then, a foreign leader has been invited to grace the event almost every year.
There are no specific rules or criteria for choosing a chief guest for Republic Day in India. The chief guest is usually selected based on the country’s strategic, economic, and political considerations.