No chief guest at Republic Day for two years in a row amid COVID surge, say sources
India had invited the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as 2022 Republic Day chief guests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will instead host a virtual meet with the five leaders on 27 January
A military band marches throughthe ceremonial Rajpath boulevard during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, on 26 January, 2021. AP
New Delhi: This year there will be no foreign head of state or government as the chief guest for the Republic Day event, sources said on Wednesday.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic continuing and the cases rising, this would be the second year in a row when there would be no foreign leader as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.
"This year there will not be a Foreign Head of State or Head of Government as the chief guest for our Republic Day event," a source said.
There would be no foreign leader as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations, but a day later Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the first India-Central Asia Summit in a virtual format on 27 January.
The summit will be held with the participation of the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
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