<P> Since 1950, India has been hosting head of state or government of another country as the state guest of honour for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi . During 1950--1954, Republic Day celebrations were organised at different venues (like Irwin Stadium, Kingsway, Red Fort and Ramlila Grounds). It was only starting 1955 when the parade in its present form was organised at Rajpath . The guest country is chosen after a deliberation of strategic, economic and political interests . During 1950s--1970s, a number of NAM and Eastern Bloc countries were hosted by India . In 1968 and 1974, India played host to two countries on the same Republic Day . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Year </Th> <Th> Guest name </Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Note </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1950 </Td> <Td> President Sukarno </Td> <Td> Indonesia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1951 </Td> <Td> King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah </Td> <Td> Nepal </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1952 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1953 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1954 </Td> <Td> King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck </Td> <Td> Bhutan </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1955 </Td> <Td> Governor General Malik Ghulam Muhammad </Td> <Td> Pakistan </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> First guest for parade at Rajpath </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1956 </Td> <Td> Chancellor of the Exchequer R.A. Butler </Td> <Td> United Kingdom </Td> <Td> Note </Td> <Td> Two guests </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Chief Justice Kōtarō Tanaka </Td> <Td> Japan </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1957 </Td> <Td> Minister of Defence Georgy Zhukov </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1958 </Td> <Td> Marshall Ye Jianying </Td> <Td> China </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1959 </Td> <Td> Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip </Td> <Td> United Kingdom </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1960 </Td> <Td> Chairman Kliment Voroshilov </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1961 </Td> <Td> Queen Elizabeth II </Td> <Td> United Kingdom </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 3rd invitation, Note </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1962 </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Viggo Kampmann </Td> <Td> Denmark </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Note </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1963 </Td> <Td> King Norodom Sihanouk </Td> <Td> Cambodia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1964 </Td> <Td> Chief of Defence Staff Lord Louis Mountbatten </Td> <Td> United Kingdom </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 4th invitation, Note </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1965 </Td> <Td> Food and Agriculture Minister Rana Abdul Hamid </Td> <Td> Pakistan </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1966 </Td> <Td> No invitation </Td> <Td> No invitation </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Note </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1967 </Td> <Td> King Mohammed Zahir Shah </Td> <Td> Afghanistan </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Note </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1968 </Td> <Td> Chairman Alexei Kosygin </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> 3rd invitation </Td> <Td> Two guests </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> President Josip Broz Tito </Td> <Td> Yugoslavia </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1969 </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Todor Zhivkov </Td> <Td> Bulgaria </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1970 </Td> <Td> King of the Belgians Baudouin </Td> <Td> Belgium </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Note </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1971 </Td> <Td> President Julius Nyerere </Td> <Td> Tanzania </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1972 </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Seewoosagur Ramgoolam </Td> <Td> Mauritius </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1973 </Td> <Td> President Mobutu Sese Seko </Td> <Td> Zaire </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President Josip Broz Tito </Td> <Td> Yugoslavia </Td> <Td> 2nd invitation </Td> <Td> Two guests </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike </Td> <Td> Sri Lanka </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President Kenneth Kaunda </Td> <Td> Zambia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1976 </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Jacques Chirac </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1977 </Td> <Td> First Secretary Edward Gierek </Td> <Td> Poland </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1978 </Td> <Td> President Patrick Hillery </Td> <Td> Ireland </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1979 </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser </Td> <Td> Australia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1980 </Td> <Td> President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1981 </Td> <Td> President Jose Lopez Portillo </Td> <Td> Mexico </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1982 </Td> <Td> King Juan Carlos I </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President Shehu Shagari </Td> <Td> Nigeria </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1984 </Td> <Td> King Jigme Singye Wangchuck </Td> <Td> Bhutan </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1985 </Td> <Td> President Raúl Alfonsín </Td> <Td> Argentina </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1986 </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou </Td> <Td> Greece </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President Alan Garcia </Td> <Td> Peru </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President J.R. Jayewardene </Td> <Td> Sri Lanka </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh </Td> <Td> Vietnam </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth </Td> <Td> Mauritius </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1991 </Td> <Td> President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom </Td> <Td> Maldives </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President Mário Soares </Td> <Td> Portugal </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Prime Minister John Major </Td> <Td> United Kingdom </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 5th invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong </Td> <Td> Singapore </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1995 </Td> <Td> President Nelson Mandela </Td> <Td> South Africa </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President Fernando Henrique Cardoso </Td> <Td> Brazil </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Basdeo Panday </Td> <Td> Trinidad and Tobago </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1998 </Td> <Td> President Jacques Chirac </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 3rd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1999 </Td> <Td> King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev </Td> <Td> Nepal </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> President Olusegun Obasanjo </Td> <Td> Nigeria </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President Abdelaziz Bouteflika </Td> <Td> Algeria </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2002 </Td> <Td> President Cassam Uteem </Td> <Td> Mauritius </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 3rd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2003 </Td> <Td> President Mohammed Khatami </Td> <Td> Iran </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva </Td> <Td> Brazil </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2005 </Td> <Td> King Jigme Singye Wangchuck </Td> <Td> Bhutan </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 3rd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al - Saud </Td> <Td> Saudi Arabia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2007 </Td> <Td> President Vladimir Putin </Td> <Td> Russia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 4th invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2008 </Td> <Td> President Nicolas Sarkozy </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 4th invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> President Nursultan Nazarbayev </Td> <Td> Kazakhstan </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> President Lee Myung Bak </Td> <Td> South Korea </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2011 </Td> <Td> President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono </Td> <Td> Indonesia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2012 </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra </Td> <Td> Thailand </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2013 </Td> <Td> King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck </Td> <Td> Bhutan </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 4th invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> Prime Minister Shinzo Abe </Td> <Td> Japan </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2015 </Td> <Td> President Barack Obama </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> President François Hollande </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 5th invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2017 </Td> <Td> Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan </Td> <Td> United Arab Emirates </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2018 </Td> <Td> Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah </Td> <Td> Brunei </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Ten guests (Heads of ASEAN states) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Prime Minister Hun Sen </Td> <Td> Cambodia </Td> <Td> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> President Joko Widodo </Td> <Td> Indonesia </Td> <Td> 3rd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith </Td> <Td> Laos </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Prime Minister Najib Razak </Td> <Td> Malaysia </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi </Td> <Td> Myanmar </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> President Rodrigo Roa Duterte </Td> <Td> Philippines </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong </Td> <Td> Singapore </Td> <Td> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Prime Minister Prayuth Chan - ocha </Td> <Td> Thailand </Td> <Td> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc </Td> <Td> Vietnam </Td> <Td> 2nd invitation </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Year </Th> <Th> Guest name </Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Note </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1950 </Td> <Td> President Sukarno </Td> <Td> Indonesia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr>

Who host the flag on republic day 2017