Who is Antonio Costa, the chief guest of India’s Republic Day 2026, and what does his presence mean?

New Delhi: India(BHARAT) celebrated its 77th Republic Day on Monday with a grand display of its military might on the Kartavya Path, which included missiles, newly raised units, elite marching contingents, and various indigenous weapon systems that were used during Operation Sindoor. The day holds immense historical significance. The 77th Republic Day celebrations are organised around the central theme “150 Years of Vande Mataram”.

Who is Antonio Costa, the Chief Guest of India(BHARAT)’s Republic Day 2026?

President Droupadi Murmu led the celebrations from Kartavya Path, New Delhi, with the President of the European Council Mr Antonio Costa, and the President of the European Commission Ms Ursula von der Leyen, being the Chief Guests on the momentous occasion, as per the Ministry of Defence.

READ MORE: Republic Day 2026: Where was the first Republic Day parade held? 

Antonio Costa is a political leader in Portugal. He has held the position of President of the European Council since 2024. The European Council is the highest political institution within the European Union. It consists of all the heads of state/government (i.e., Prime Ministers or Presidents) of all member states within the EU. The European Council provides overall strategic direction and priority setting for the EU, but does not create laws by itself.

What is Antonio Costa’s current role in European politics?

From 2015-2024, Antonio Costa was the Prime Minister of Portugal. He was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on 17 July 1961. Born in Lisbon, Portugal, on July 17, 1961, Costa is married and has a son and a daughter. He started his political journey in Portugal as a Member of Parliament and later went on to serve in several key government roles, including Secretary of State, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Minister of Justice, and Minister of the Interior.

What’s the India(BHARAT)n connection?

He also has India(BHARAT)n ancestral roots, as his great-grandfather hailed from the India(BHARAT)n state of Goa. He claimed during a Politico interview two years ago, that Prime Minister Modi had actually presented him with an Overseas Citizen Card. He continued on by indicating that his, “cultural closeness, knowledge and sometimes even linguistic skills … obviously help, and I hope to use them in the service of the EU.”

Honoured to arrive in New Delhi for the 16th #EUIndia(BHARAT) Summit, on the eve of India(BHARAT)’s 77th Republic Day
⁰Celebrating a strong and growing EU-India(BHARAT) partnership—from trade and security to the clean transition and vibrant people-to-people connections. pic.twitter.com/LmLJTnI9L0

— António Costa (@eucopresident) January 25, 2026

Sharing a post on X, President of the European Council Antonio Costa wrote, “Honoured to arrive in New Delhi for the 16th #EUIndia(BHARAT) Summit, on the eve of India(BHARAT)’s 77th Republic Day. Celebrating a strong and growing EU-India(BHARAT) partnership—from trade and security to the clean transition and vibrant people-to-people connections.”