Happy New Year 2026 Highlights: India Gate, Kartavya Path sees traffic congestion as crowds gather

As 2025 drew to a close, Indians rang in the New Year the way they know best—over plates of fragrant biryani. The evergreen favourite saw a massive surge in demand, with food delivery platform Swiggy clocking an astonishing 1,336 biryani orders per minute even before 8 pm on New Year’s Eve.

As India rang in 2026, Jammu and Kashmir emerged as a vibrant focal point, where festive cheer blended with spiritual devotion and the region’s winter charm. In Srinagar, Lal Chowk buzzed with crowds celebrating the New Year, while higher-altitude areas such as Sonamarg were draped in fresh snowfall, turning them into a picture-perfect winter landscape.

Tourists in large numbers gathered to celebrate the New Year as snow blanketed Manali, fostering an atmosphere of happiness, joy, and excitement for several experiencing the snow for the first time.

The area around India Gate and along Kartavya Path witnessed heavy footfall leading to traffic congestion on New Year's Day as people gathered in large numbers with family and friends to welcome 2026.

Foreign tourists went straight to the top of the famous Sonar Fort to take in the weather and swayed joyfully to music performed by local folk artists. Speaking to ANI, the tourists praised PM Modi's governance and were highly impressed by Jaisalmer's art, culture, and sightseeing spots. They also spoke about their New Year's celebrations and enjoyment.

Sheikh Zaid Festival fireworks painted the night sky in rainbow colours during New Year celebrations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Reunion Tower hypnotised Dallas during its 10th annual New Year's Eve celebration as 5,000 pyrotechnic effects were launched through 500 drones. The theme for this year's fireworks and a drone show was “The Most Colorful Year Yet.”

K-pop band BTS sent letters to fans on New Year to announce its comeback on March 20. The seven-member band will release a new album this year, their first since "Proof" in 2022, Variety reported citing their management BigHit's confirmation on X.

Reacting to the big revelation, RM mentioned that he’d been “waiting for this moment more desperately than anyone.”

Jin wrote, “I greeted you all as a soloist in 2023 and 2024, but I can finally greet you as part of a team again.”

J-Hope stated, “Finally, it’s the year that we will all be together with you!!”

Jungkook said, “Please take good care of us this year as well."

Tennessee's Nashville was illuminated on New Year as fireworks during Nashville's Big Bash elated the atmosphere at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.

As the world celebrated New Year on 1 January, explosion ripped through a bar in the luxury Alpine ski resort town located in Switzerland's Crans Montana. The popular tourist destination rose up in flames, claiming several lives and injuring many others, AFP reported. Read more here

The 34-year-old former state lawmaker and New York's newly sworn in mayor Zohran Mamdani in his inaugural speach said, "Happy New Year to New Yorkers, both inside this tunnel and above," Reuters reported.

He added, ""This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime."

The New Year began on a heart-warming note for millions of fans as Rajinikanth greeted them with a smile and a message of positivity on the morning of January 1, 2026.

Frank Sinatra’s song New York (New York) is blaring out over Times Square as the city marks the start of 2026.

Mamdani, 34, was sworn into office by the New York attorney general, Letitia James, surrounded by wife, Rama Duwaji, members of his immediate family, including Mira Nair, his mother and a film-maker, and his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a professor of African studies at Columbia University

Happy New Year 2026 wishes LIVE: Fireworks dazzled at midnight as over one ton of confetti brought cheer over the skies of New York City.

Fireworks illuminated the skies over the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument to celebrate the New Year in Washington DC.

US and Canada welcomed New Year a while ago

Happy New Year mistakenly turned into Happy Birthday when US President Donald Trump took to the stage to address the crowd at New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach in Florida.

US President Donald Trump and the First Lady Melania Trump recently arrived at the Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve party.

Hanoi's Huc Bridge at Hoan Kiem Lake was lit with fireworks.

Happy New Year 2026 wishes LIVE: Iraq's Al-Zawraa Park featuring heart shaped colourful installations during New Year's Eve celebrations in Baghdad.

The Times Square Ball has been lit and raised and will be dropped at midnight. To live stream Times Square ball drop visit https://www.timessquarenyc.org.

South Korea celebrated New Year with midnight fireworks over the Lotte World Tower, the tallest building in Seoul, on January 1.

Fireworks along the Seine river after Eiffel Tower's light show, created a romantic atmosphere in on 1 January.

Preparations are in full swing in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, United States and Canada to welcome New Year.

Happy New Year 2026 wishes LIVE: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile and Uruguay welcomed New Year a while ago.

Brazil's Rio de Janeiro welcomed New Year with extravagant fireworks over Copacabana Beach on 1 January.

Germany's light projections and fireworks illuminated the skies above the Brandenburg Gate at the 'Yeah 26' New Year's Eve event in Berlin on January 1.

Hong Kong's major New Year fireworks display planned for Victoria Harbour did not illuminate the skies on First day of New year as the show was cancelled. The country observed silent festivities this year to pay homage to 161 people killed in a housing estate fire incident in November.

Waterford crystal ball will drop at midnight in Times Square, New York City, as per the century old tradition. A brand-new crystal ball, featuring 5,280 handcrafted Waterford crystals, will ring in the new year this time.

High-octane Réveillon party is ongoing at Copacabana Beach where crowds are eagerly waiting for the clock to hit midnight. All dressed in white, eagerly wait for ethereal fireworks that paint the sky with sparkles as reflection of waves gives it a more mesmerising appeal.

Few minutes are left before Brazil and Argentina ring in New Year 2026. Currently it is quarter past 11 in the two countries, as per IST.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended heartfelt greetings for New Year. In a post on X, he stated, “Wishing everyone a wonderful 2026! May the year ahead bring good health and prosperity, with success in your efforts and fulfilment in all that you do. Praying for peace and happiness in our society.”

New year celebrations at Taiwan's Taipei 101 skyscraper witnessed six-minute fireworks display from the iconic building. From a special projection-mapping to display Toy Story characters on the facade of Taipei 101, Taiwan celebrated first day of the year with light and sound show, blending in the melodious voices of Taiwanese artists.

Devotees flocked to Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple to offer prayers on the first day of the year.

Mumbai's Churchgate station celebrated New Year in its trademark style, sound of train horns reverberated the atmosphere. One could here “sound of 2026 arriving on the Platforms” when the clock struck 12:00 AM.

Dubai's Burj Khalifa fireworks delighted onlookers who had gathered to experience its trademark fireworks, featuring a 360-degree pyro-display surrounding the world’s largest building. Complemented by laser shows, music and ethereal reflections in the Dubai Fountain, it was a night to remember.

The Arc de Triomphe in Paris marked the first day of the year with stunning fireworks display.

The White House will mark the arrival of the New Year 2026 with a symbolic gesture in the nation’s capital, lighting up the Washington Monument in a striking display to launch the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations.

In a post shared on social media, the White House said the monument was illuminated “like never before,” transforming the iconic landmark into what it described as “America’s biggest birthday candle”. The moment formally kicked off commemorations leading up to the semiquincentennial of the country’s founding, which will culminate in 2026.

Some news from Bulgaria now, which has become the 21st country to switch to the euro, nearly 20 years after the Balkan nation joined the European Union.

At midnight, Bulgaria gave up the lev currency, which has been in use since the late 19th century, and Bulgarian euro coins were projected onto the central bank’s building.

Sir Sadiq Khan, mayor of the capital, has hailed London’s New Year celebrations as the “greatest in the world” after 100,000 people lined the banks of the River Thames to welcome 2026.

London’s firework presentation always gets closely inspected for political content, and so far, as well as a segment celebrating England’s Red Roses and Lionesses winning tournaments in 2025, there was a pointed part about flags and the national colours, with a voiceover saying wait until the men’s Fifa World Cup later this year if you want to see flags being raised.

Here is the list with all “GMT” references removed and only IST shown clearly:

Kiribati – 15:30 IST

New Zealand – 16:30 IST

Most of Australia’s east coast – 18:30 IST

North Korea, South Korea and Japan – 20:30 IST

Taiwan, Hong Kong and China – 21:30 IST

Thailand – 22:30 IST

India and Sri Lanka – 00:00 IST (midnight)

Russia (Moscow) – 02:30 IST

Ukraine – 03:30 IST

Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland and Italy – 04:30 IST

The UK, Ghana and Portugal – 05:30 IST

Brazil and Argentina – 08:30 IST

The east coast of the US – 10:30 IST

Fireworks have been going on in European capitals, including Paris and Berlin. as European nations welcome New Year

The movie is set to release in India on 9 January, 2026