Hundreds join pride parade in New Delhi, call for equal rights

Record ID: 2338831

  • Title: Hundreds join pride parade in New Delhi, call for equal rights
  • Date: 8th February 2026
  • Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (FEBRUARY 08, 2026) (ANI - No use India) PARTICIPANTS WALKING WITH BANNER READING (English): 'DELHI QUEER PRIDE 2025-2026' AND CHANTING SLOGANS TWO PARTICIPANTS HOLDING COLORFUL HANDMADE POSTERS WITH PRIDE SYMBOLS AND EQUALITY MESSAGES HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS AT PRIDE PARADE HOLDING RAINBOW PRIDE FLAG PARTICIPANT HOLDING CARDBOARD CUT-OUT PLACARD PARTICIP
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: India pride LGBTQI New Delhi activists civil rights community equality gender diversity human rights inclusion march parade pride pride march pride parade queer rights rainbow flags rights social acceptance visibility
  • Location: NEW DELHI, INDIA
  • City: NEW DELHI, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001NTXS0UN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hundreds of members of the LGBTQI community and their allies marched through the streets of New Delhi on Saturday (February 8), carrying rainbow flags, handmade posters and banners as part of the Delhi Queer Pride 2025-26 parade, chanting slogans, dancing to drum beats and calling for greater equality and acceptance.
    The annual pride march, held in the capital to celebrate queer identities and demand equal rights, has over the years become a platform for visibility and advocacy, with participants raising concerns around discrimination, social stigma, and the lack of legal
    recognition for same-gender relationships in India.
    "I think it's queer liberation, queer joy… the opportunity to dress like this freely in Delhi, feel safe around people and feel seen in my community," said a participant Himika, describing the gathering as a rare space of safety and belonging amid the current political climate.
    Another participant, Sunny Sharma, said, "When we contribute positively to society, maybe society accepts us or maybe it doesn't…but if we are working for society, then we can definitely stand up for our rights."
    Participants were seen hugging, waving placards reading "Resist to Exist" and "Free Hugs," and carrying a large rainbow pride flag overhead as the procession moved through the city, blending protest with celebration while renewing calls for dignity, inclusion, and equal treatment.
    India's top court decriminalised homosexuality by scrapping a colonial-era ban on gay sex in a historic verdict in 2018. But same-sex marriage is a sensitive topic, and speaking openly about homosexuality is taboo for most in the socially conservative country of 1.4 billion people.
    LGBTQ activists say that while the 2018 ruling affirmed their constitutional rights, it is unjust that they still lack legal backing for marriages, a basic right enjoyed by heterosexual couples.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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