In a first, India is inviting the European Union’s leadership — President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Costa — as chief guests for the Republic Day celebrations next year, The Indian Express has learnt.

The process of the formal invitation and the official confirmation of acceptance is underway, sources said. It will be announced by New Delhi and Brussels shortly after the process is completed.

An invitation to be the Republic Day chief guest is highly symbolic from the Indian government’s perspective. New Delhi has been weaving strategy with hospitality to decide its chief guest. The choice is dictated by a number of reasons — strategic and diplomatic, business interests and international geopolitics.

The decision to in

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