Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday, June 8, 2026, shared a live broadcast link of the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 (Phase-1), at which President Droupadi Murmu conferred gallantry awards on armed forces personnel at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

Context

The Defence Investiture Ceremony is a formal state occasion at which the President of India presents gallantry and distinguished service decorations to members of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The 2026 Phase-1 event marks another chapter in a tradition dating to 1950, when honours such as the Param Vir Chakra and the Ashoka Chakra were first instituted by the Republic.

Minister Rijiju amplified the ceremony by sharing the official live stream from @rashtrapatibhvn, inviting citizens to watch the proceedings in real time — reflecting the government's broader effort to make ceremonial state functions accessible to the public through digital platforms.

Policy Backdrop

President Droupadi Murmu, who took office in July 2022 as the first tribal woman to hold the position, presides over national award functions as a core constitutional duty. Gallantry investitures are held in phases across the year, with citations subsequently published in the Gazette of India.

The investiture system sits within a wider architecture of defence recognition that successive governments have maintained without interruption. It runs parallel to ongoing policy priorities including defence procurement reform, border infrastructure development, and the modernisation of the armed forces.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary stakeholders are the award recipients — serving and retired personnel of the Indian armed forces whose acts of bravery or distinguished service are formally recognised before the nation. Their families and units also attend the ceremony, making it a moment of institutional and personal significance.

For the broader public, the live broadcast extends the reach of the ceremony well beyond Rashtrapati Bhavan, allowing citizens across India to witness the state's formal acknowledgement of military sacrifice and valour. Senior ministers sharing such streams signals cross-government visibility for defence honours.

What's Next

The government is expected to announce the schedule for Phase-2 of the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 in the coming months, at which a further set of gallantry and distinguished service awards will be conferred. Official citations for all Phase-1 awardees will be published in the Gazette of India, providing the public a detailed record of the acts of bravery recognised at the ceremony.

The investiture tradition, unbroken since the Republic's earliest years, continues to serve as a visible affirmation of the nation's commitment to honouring military service — a signal that carries weight both domestically and in India's strategic communications with partner nations.