This time the Republic Day parade in New Delhi will witness no foreign guest for the first time in 55 years.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “Due to the global COVID-19 situation, it has been decided that this year there will not be a foreign head of state or head of govt as the chief guest at our Republic Day event.”

Further, due to the ongoing pandemic, the spectator strength has also been brought down from 1,15,000 to 25,000 and children below the age of 15 will not be allowed entry. The number of cultural programmes has also been cut down.

This is the fourth time in India’s Republic Day parade history that no foreign guest will be present at the Republic Day. The last time it had happened was in 1966- after the death of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and the death of famous scientist Homi Bhaba, and before that in 1953 and 1952.