Chief Guest List
Since 1950, India has been hosting head of state or government of another country as the state guest of honour for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. During 1950-1954, Republic Day celebrations were organized at different venues (like Irwin Stadium, Kingsway, Red Fort and Ramlila Grounds). It was only starting 1955 when the parade in its present form was organized at Rajpath. The guest country is chosen after a delibration of strategic, economic and political interests. During 1950s-1970s, a number of NAM and Eastern Bloc countries were hosted by India. In the post-Cold War era, India has also invited several Western leaders on a state visit during the Republic Day. It is notable that before India fought bloody wars with China and Pakistan, leaders from these countries were invited as state guests for the Republic Day celebrations. Interestingly, Pakistan Food and Agriculture Minister was the second state guest from that country for Republic Day in 1965, a few days after which the two countries went to a war. Countries which have been invited multiple times include India's neighbours (Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Mauritius), defence allies (Russia/USSR, France and Britain), trade partners (Brazil) and NAM allies (Nigeria and erstwhileYugoslavia). France has the distinction of being the guest of honour for the maximum (four) number of times followed by three visits each fromBhutan, Mauritius and USSR/Russia.
Year | Guest Name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | President Sukarno |  Indonesia |
| 1951 | ||
| 1952 | ||
| 1953 | ||
| 1954 | King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck |  Bhutan |
| 1955 | Governor General Malik Ghulam Muhammad (first guest for parade at Rajpath) |  Pakistan |
| 1956 | ||
| 1957 | ||
| 1958 | Marshall Ye Jianying |  People's Republic of China |
| 1959 | ||
| 1960 | President Kliment Voroshilov |  Soviet Union |
| 1961 | Queen Elizabeth II |  United Kingdom |
| 1962 | ||
| 1963 | King Norodom Sihanouk |  Cambodia |
| 1964 | ||
| 1965 | Food and Agriculture Minister Rana Abdul Hamid | Pakistan |
| 1966 | ||
| 1967 | ||
| 1968 | Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin and President Josip Broz Tito | Soviet Union Yugoslavia |
| 1969 | Prime Minister of Bulgaria Todor Zhivkov |  Bulgaria |
| 1970 | ||
| 1971 | President Julius Nyerere |  Tanzania |
| 1972 | Prime Minister Seewoosagur Ramgoolam |  Mauritius |
| 1973 | President Mobutu Sese Seko |  Zaire |
| 1974 | President Josip Broz Tito and Prime Minister Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike | Yugoslavia Sri Lanka |
| 1975 | President Kenneth Kaunda |  Zambia |
| 1976 | Prime Minister Jacques Chirac |  France |
| 1977 | First Secretary Edward Gierek |  Poland |
| 1978 | President Patrick Hillery |  Ireland |
| 1979 | Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser |  Australia |
| 1980 | President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing | France |
| 1981 | President Jose Lopez Portillo |  Mexico |
| 1982 | King Juan Carlos I |  Spain |
| 1983 | President Shehu Shagari |  Nigeria |
| 1984 | King Jigme Singye Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 1985 | President Raúl Alfonsín |  Argentina |
| 1986 | Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou |  Greece |
| 1987 | President Alan Garcia |  Peru |
| 1988 | President Junius Jayewardene | Sri Lanka |
| 1989 | General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh |  Vietnam |
| 1990 | Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth | Mauritius |
| 1991 | President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom |  Maldives |
| 1992 | President Mário Soares |  Portugal |
| 1993 | Prime Minister John Major | United Kingdom |
| 1994 | Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong |  Singapore |
| 1995 | President Nelson Mandela |  South Africa |
| 1996 | President Dr. Fernando Henrique Cardoso[34] |  Brazil |
| 1997 | Prime Minister Basdeo Panday |  Trinidad and Tobago |
| 1998 | President Jacques Chirac | France |
| 1999 | King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev |  Nepal |
| 2000 | President Olusegun Obasanjo | Nigeria |
| 2001 | President Abdelaziz Bouteflika |  Algeria |
| 2002 | President Cassam Uteem | Mauritius |
| 2003 | President Mohammed Khatami |  Iran |
| 2004 | President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva | Brazil |
| 2005 | King Jigme Singye Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 2006 | King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud |  Saudi Arabia |
| 2007 | President Vladimir Putin |  Russia |
| 2008 | President Nicolas Sarkozy | France |
| 2009 | President Nursultan Nazarbayev |  Kazakhstan |
| 2010 | President Lee Myung Bak |  Republic of Korea |
| 2011 | President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono | Indonesia |
