India looks to invite quad leader for Republic Day

India looks to invite quad leader for Republic Day

Subject: International Relations

Section: Msc

Context: The government is considering inviting leaders of the Quad grouping for the Republic Day celebrations next year.

How India choose its Chief Guest:

• The government extends its invitation to a Head of State or Government after careful consideration.
• This process commences almost six months ahead of Republic Day. The MEA considers a number of issues, the most important of which is the nature of India’s relationship with the country concerned.
• Other factors include political, economic, and commercial relations, the neighbourhood, military cooperation, prominence in regional groupings, or past association in the Non Aligned Movement.
• The MEA, after deliberations, seeks the Prime Minister’s approval, after which the clearance of Rashtrapati Bhavan is sought.
• Thereafter, India’s ambassadors in the concerned countries try to ascertain discreetly the potential Chief Guests’ programme and availability for Republic Day.
• Once this laborious process has been completed, the territorial divisions in the MEA work towards meaningful talks and agreements, while the Chief of Protocol works on the details of the programme and logistics.

Why is the invitation for Republic Day a special honour:

• While the visit of the Chief Guest at the Republic Day parade is similar to a State visit by any foreign high dignitary, given the ceremony involved, it is the highest honour that India accords to a guest in protocol terms.
• The Chief Guest is given the ceremonial guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan, he attends the reception in the evening hosted by the President of India, he lays a wreath at Rajghat, there is a banquet in his honour, a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister, and calls by the Vice-President and the External Affairs Minister.

Some facts about Republic Day Chief Guest:

• President of Indonesia Sukarno was the first chief guest of the Republic Day Parade in 1950.
• Rajpath became the permanent venue for the parade on 26th January in 1955. Rajpath was known by the name ‘Kingsway’
• The Beating Retreat ceremony, which takes place at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on January 29 every year, traces its origin to a tradition from the 1600s. This tradition to announce the return of the troops began when King James II ordered his troops to beat drums, lower flags and organize a parade to declare the end of a day of combat.
• The first foreign military contingent, French Army soldiers, took part in the Republic day Parade in 2018.
• Republic Day Chief Guest List: