For the 77th Republic Day on 26 January 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued his tradition of wearing a distinctive turban that reflects India’s cultural heritage.
Today, PM Modi is wearing a light blue Nehru jacket over a neatly-tailored dark blue kurta. His most striking feature is the vibrant turban.
It is a traditional multi-coloured safa with red as the base, decorated with yellow patterns and a hint of green. The turban adds cultural depth and regional pride to his attire.
The prime minister paid tribute at the National War Memorial and maintained a 2-minute silence in memory of the martyrs. He then proceeded to Kartavya Path for the 77th Republic Day parade.
PM Modi’s Republic Day look in 2015-2017
In 2015, during his first Republic Day as Prime Minister, he wore a peacock-style multi-coloured Bandhani turban. US President Barack Obama attended as the Chief Guest.
In 2016, he chose a yellow turban with pink-red stripes and a cream bandhgala suit. It was followed in 2017 by a pink turban with silver lines.
PM Modi’s Republic Day look in 2018 - 2021
In 2018, PM Modi wore a yellow-and-red turban with a cream kurta and a black jacket. Later, he appeared in a red Halari pagdi with yellow dots, gifted by Jamnagar’s royal family.
In 2019, a multi-coloured turban with yellow, red and green shades showed India’s diversity. In 2020, he chose a Bandhej turban, inspired by textiles from Gujarat and Rajasthan.
PM Modi’s Republic Day look in 2022-2025
In 2022, he skipped a turban and wore a traditional Uttarakhand cap featuring the Brahma Kamal, the state flower.
In 2023, he returned to turbans with a bright Leheria Pheta. Its flowing patterns reflected Rajasthani and Maharashtrian culture.
In 2024, he chose a yellow, pink and white Bandhani turban, paying tribute to Lord Ram and Rajasthan’s tie-dye craft. Last year, Prime Minister Modi wore a saffron-and-red striped safa symbolising courage, royalty and cultural pride.
The interest in ‘Republic Day’ on Google soared from 25 January to 26 January:
