India
The US ambassador was asked at an event about the reports that India is considering inviting leaders of the Quad nations to grace the Republic Day celebrations.
Updated : Sep 20, 2023, 08:37 PM IST | Edited by : Maitry Kothari
Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited US President Joe Biden to be the Chief Guest for the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said on Wednesday.
Asked whether the Quad summit is being planned in India around the same time, Garcetti indicated that he was not aware of it. The Quad comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia. It is India's turn to host the annual Quad summit next year.
The US ambassador was asked at an event about the reports that India is considering inviting leaders of the Quad nations to grace the Republic Day celebrations.
US President Biden was invited to the Republic Day celebrations by Prime Minister Modi during the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit, Garcetti said.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the chief guest at this year's Republic Day celebrations.
Every year, India invites world leaders to attend its Republic Day celebrations. There was no Republic Day Chief guest in 2021 and 2022 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other heads of state and government who have attended the Republic Day celebrations include Nicolas Sarkozy, Vladimir Putin, Nelson Mandela, John Major, Mohammed Khatami and Jacques Chirac.
The then British Prime Minister John Major attended the celebrations in 1993, Nelson Mandela participated as then South African President in 1995 while South Korean President President Lee Myung Bak witnessed the parade in 2010.