Latest Updates on Independence Day 2024

India has declared its ambition to become a developed nation by 2047. What it needs now is a credible, measurable roadmap to turn that ambition into reality

To assuage the anxieties of the youth and children, the country must broaden the avenues for gainful employment available to them and reduce the unemployment rate among graduates

In his 13th Independence Day speech, PM Modi unveiled the Sapta Dhara strategy, focusing on jobs, manufacturing, technology, connectivity and self-reliance

From the Pacific islands and East Asia to Europe, the Gulf and the Americas, Indians and "friends of India" joined celebrations marking the country's 80th Independence Day on Saturday, as key partners including France, Russia and Australia extended greetings and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties with New Delhi. The celebrations unfolded across Indian missions and diaspora communities around the world, featuring flag-hoisting ceremonies, renditions of the national anthem and "Vande Mataram", cultural performances, community gatherings and a range of activities. At the centre of the global celebrations was the "Suryapath Tiranga" initiative, under which the Indian Tricolour was hoisted successively at Indian missions as the day moved across time zones, beginning in Fiji and scheduled to culminate in San Francisco. The initiative, part of the broader "Har Ghar Tiranga" campaign, sought to create a shared, continuous celebration stretching from one sunrise to the next. T

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said the nation has overcome several formidable challenges in the last eight decades but much remains to be done, urging young law graduates and lawyers to be ready to shoulder the responsibilities of the future. Speaking at the national flag hoisting ceremony organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association on the occasion of 80th Independence Day at the apex court premises, CJI Kant said the journey of the nation does not end with what it has accomplished. "The journey of a nation does not end with what it has accomplished. Every achievement also brings with it a renewed sense of responsibility and duty. There is much that remains to be done, and many more miles to travel in our journey ahead," he said. The programme was attended by several senior judges, lawyers and court staff. Addressing young lawyers, Kant said the responsibility carried by the Bar since the days of the freedom struggle would soon rest on their shoulders. "To our y

In a first for Independence Day celebrations, 'Vande Mataram', with the full six stanzas, was rendered at the Red Fort complex during the 79th anniversary of the historic occasion on August 15, followed by the recitation of the national anthem at the grand event. The mega function commemorates 150 years of the enduring legacy of the national song, 'Vande Mataram', as floral decoration on the ramparts depicted the national flag at the centre, flanked by 'Vande Mataram' in Hindi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort amid patriotic fervour and multi-layer security. "For everyone present at this ceremony today, this is also a historic moment. For the first time since independence, Vande Mataram is echoing from the Red Fort on August 15. And as we celebrate 150 years of Vande Mataram today, what could be a more wonderful occasion than this," he said in his 75-minute address. Modi said today, "every heartbeat resonates with the chant of

India Inc on Saturday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address, saying it looks forward to working with the government to translate his announcements into actionable programmes to boost investment, jobs, innovation and manufacturing. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, said, "As we mark 80 years of Independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address puts people, sustainability and India's global strengths at the centre of our development journey. "His call for Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Vocal for Local reflects our growing confidence to build a self-reliant, future-ready nation, one that has moved from being among the 'Fragile Five' to the world's fastest-growing major economy in just over a decade". Industry shares the prime minister's resolve to build on this momentum and is ready to match it with sustained investment in areas of strategic importance, Banerjee stated. Agriculture and food processing stand out as a real opportunity: with

The Prime Minister called for greater capabilities in hypersonic technology, drones and counter-drone systems, adding that India must emerge as a global supplier of advanced military equipment

The Prime Minister also called for chemical-free farming and said the government had absorbed higher global fertiliser costs to keep urea and DAP affordable for farmers

The Prime Minister said India should turn its creative industries, handicrafts, yoga and Ayurveda into global capabilities, with WAVES showcasing its soft power

The framework places manufacturing, food processing and technology at its core, alongside infrastructure, defence, the green and blue economy, and India's soft power

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a 75-minute Independence Day speech on Saturday, the shortest in four years and his fourth shortest ever. On India's 79th Independence Day last year, Modi had delivered a 103-minute speech, breaking his own record of a 98-minute address delivered on the 78th Independence Day in 2024. His longest Independence Day speech before 2024 was for 96 minutes in 2016, while his shortest speech was in 2017, when he spoke for 56 minutes. Modi delivered his 13th consecutive Independence Day speech from the Red Fort on Saturday. Last year, he had broken Indira Gandhi's record by delivering 12 consecutive speeches from the Red Fort to stand next only to Jawaharlal Nehru, who delivered 17 Independence Day addresses in a row. Modi delivered his first Independence Day speech in 2014 and it lasted 65 minutes. His speech in 2015 lasted 88 minutes. In 2018, Modi's address was for 83 minutes. In 2019, he spoke for nearly 92 minutes. In 2020 Modi's Independence D

The programme would mark a sharp expansion of existing AI skilling efforts, with Modi also highlighting opportunities in aviation, sports, green mobility and other emerging sectors

The Prime Minister said the initiative would combine digital public infrastructure, teachers and talent to reduce coaching costs for poor and middle-class families

Addressing the nation from the Red Fort, the Prime Minister called reforms a conviction for his government, while outlining India's growth, energy security and self-reliance push

In his Independence Day address, the Prime Minister also said the government would train one crore youth in artificial intelligence skills over the next one year

The Prime Minister said rising demand from chips, AI and data centres makes energy security crucial, while India is also working to secure critical mineral supply chains

India is celebrating its 80th Independence Day on Saturday. Eight decades after Independence, one measure of the country's economic transformation can be seen in its ability to produce food.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Raj Ghat here on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day. Ahead of his address to the nation from the Red Fort, the prime minister visited the memorial of the Father of the Nation and paid homage to him. Earlier, Modi greeted people on the occasion of Independence Day and said powered by 140 crore Indians, the country is scaling new heights of progress across different sectors. He also paid tributes to the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment ensured the end of colonial rule.

The capital is on high alert in view of Independence Day celebrations, with more than 25,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel deployed across the city to maintain law and order, while a multi-layered security grid has been placed around the Red Fort, involving over 1,000 CCTV cameras and AI-based video analytics, a senior police officer said. Elaborate security arrangements are in place around the historic Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unfurl the national flag and address the nation. "We have elaborate security arrangements, keeping in mind the incidents witnessed in the capital last year," Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia told PTI. The security plan includes multiple layers of checking and screening at entry points and around the Red Fort, besides a dedicated anti-terror response mechanism to deal with any possible threat or emergency situation, the officer said. More than 25,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel are deployed at .