Last year, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was invited as the chief guest but he could not take part amid the Covid crisis in his country back then.
For the second year in a row, Republic Day will have no foreign chief guest amid the Covid crisis, especially with the increase in the number of cases because of the Omicron variant. Five central Asian leaders were invited as the chief guest at the Republic day parade on January 16 earlier, though no public announcements were made by either side.
According to the health ministry, 2,38,018 new covid cases were recorded in the last 24 hours. The ministry in its daily morning press statement on Tuesday said 8,891 Omicron cases have been detected so far, which is an increase of 8.31% since Monday.
Last year, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was invited as the chief guest but he could not take part amid Covid crisis in his country back then. In the past years - 1952, 1953 and 1966 - saw no chief guest on the Republic Day. 1966 was the year that saw the demise of PM Lal Bahadur Shastri on January 11 in Tashkent and new PM Indira Gandhi was sworn in on January 24, 1966, just two days before Republic Day.
As per the diplomatic calender, January was expected to be a heavy month with the visit of PM Modi to UAE, Defence minister Rajnath Singh to Vietnam and mega Vibrant Gujarat investors meet but all such visits were postponed or cancelled amid the covid crisis. Focus now is on more virtual meetings and telephonic conversations. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had held telephonic talks with over 15 of his counterparts since the new year dawned.
Next week will see a virtual summit involving PM Modi and all the 5 central Asian leaders to celebrate the 30 years of establishment of ties. Dates have been proposed for the summit and will happen around January 26. Multiple sources in central Asian capitals confirmed that their leadership will be taking part in a virtual summit hosted by New Delhi next week.
The India Central Asia summit takes place even as engagement between the two sides has increased over the past few years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited all the central Asian countries in 2015, which was the first of its kind tour by any Indian Prime Minister.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "For second year in row, no chief guest on Republic Day")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}