Chief Guests Who Graced Republic Day Celebrations

New Delhi: The Republic Day celebrations, which showcase India's military might and cultural diversity, have been witnessed by a number of world leaders, including the likes of Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin and Shinzo Abe, over the years.

This year, however, ten ASEAN leaders attended the Republic Day parade at Rajpath which was unprecedented and reflective of India's stature as a major power in the region where China has been trying to expand its influence.

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The ASEAN leaders joined President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the parade. Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, Singaporean Premier Lee Hsien Loong and Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah attended the event.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Cambodian Premier Hun Sen also watched the grand parade.

The list of select world leaders who attended Republic Day parade at Rajpath as its chief guest:

• Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the chief guest of the parade in 2017.
• French president Francois Hollande attended the Republic Day parade in 2016.
• US President Barack Obama was the chief guest in 2015.
• Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the chief guest in 2014.
• Bhutanese king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck witnessed the parade in 2013.
• Thailand's first woman Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was chief guest of the parade in 2012.
• President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono witnessed the parade in 2011.
• South Korea's President Lee Myung Bak attended the parade in 2010.
• Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev was chief guest in 2009.
• French President Nicolas Sarkozy attended the Republic Day parade as its chief guest in 2008.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin was the chief guest in 2007.

(PTI)

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