The 77th Republic Day celebrations concluded with the Beating the Retreat Ceremony at Delhi’s Vijay Chowk on Thursday evening. During this, President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, chiefs of the three armies were present. The Beating Retreat marks the conclusion of Republic Day celebrations in India. The ceremony is held at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on the evening of 29 January, three days after Republic Day.

What is Beating the Retreat Ceremony?

In this ceremony, musical performances are given by the bands of Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). The ceremony is presided over by the President of India, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The Beating Retreat ceremony in India was first held in the 1950s during the state visit of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Since then, the ceremony has become an annual event to pay tribute to the valor and sacrifice of the Indian Armed Forces.

#WATCH | Delhi: National flag unfurled at Vijay Chowk during the Beating Retreat ceremony.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also present.

(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/TMkPhqDLbp

— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2026

Special preparations made at Vijay Chowk

This year, the seating areas at Vijay Chowk have been named after Indian musical instruments like flute, damru, ektara, esraj, mridangam, nagara, pakhawaj, santoor, sarangi, sarinda, sarod, shehnai, sitar, surbahar, tabla and veena. The main theme of the formal parade and other related ceremonies organized this year on the Path of Duty is the 150th anniversary of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’.

#WATCH | Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu arrives at Vijay Chowk to attend the Beating Retreat ceremony.

(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/YdBc20VTIA

— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2026

The invitation cards for the ceremonial parade featured the song’s 150th anniversary logo, a photograph of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and a watermark of ‘Vande Mataram’. The invitation cards issued for the Beating Retreat ceremony also bear the logo and memento. Apart from this, bands of the Army and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) performed in many cities from 19 to 26 January as part of programs based on the motto of ‘Vande Mataram’.

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