LIVE BLOG15 Aug 2026 | 06:34:15 AM ISTIndependence Day 2026 LIVESynopsisIndependence Day 2026 PM Modi Speech LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended Independence Day greetings to the nation, paying tribute to the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering resolve ended colonial rule.Independence Day 2026 PM Modi Speech LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead India’s 80th Independence Day celebrations from the Red Fort in Delhi on Saturday, with this year’s ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram and highlighting the role of Yuva Shakti in the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.For the first time, Vande Mataram will be rendered as part of the official Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.The Prime Minister will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh before inspecting a Guard of Honour comprising personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. He will then proceed to the ramparts to hoist the Tricolour, assisted by Captain Sonia Singh Chauhan.The flag hoisting will be synchronised with a 21-gun salute by the 1721 Field Battery using indigenous 105 mm Light Field Guns. This will be followed by the Rashtriya Salute, the singing of Vande Mataram by everyone present, and the National Anthem.Adding to the ceremony, two Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters will shower flower petals over the venue. One helicopter will carry the National Flag, while the other will display a Vande Mataram flag.The Prime Minister will then address the nation in his 13th consecutive Independence Day speech from the Red Fort. At the conclusion of his address, 2,500 NCC cadets and My Bharat volunteers will sing Vande Mataram, followed by the National Anthem.The participating cadets from the Army, Navy and Air Force, along with My Bharat volunteers, will be seated along Gyanpath, where they will collectively form the words “Vande Mataram”. Installations carrying the theme “Viksit Bharat@2047” will also be displayed.Around 5,000 special guests from across the country have been invited to attend the celebrations, including women entrepreneurs, sanitation workers, street vendors, youth innovators, scientists, start-up founders, artisans, farmers, students and beneficiaries of various government schemes. More than 1,500 people from different states and Union Territories, dressed in traditional attire, will also witness the ceremony.For public convenience, Delhi Metro services will begin at 4 am on August 15, with free travel for invitees. Cloakrooms, helpdesks with 200 volunteers, wheelchair assistance and designated parking have also been arranged.Beyond Delhi, patriotic celebrations will be held nationwide, including band performances at 343 locations by the Armed Forces, Coast Guard, NCC and CAPFs, while flag-hoisting ceremonies will also take place in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. Show more Show less1 New UpdateIndependence Day 2026 LIVE: US' Marco Rubio greets India on Independence DayUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday extended warm wishes to the people of India on the country's 80th Independence Day, saying the relationship between New Delhi and Washington was growing stronger. Rubio credited the personal relationship between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the continued growth in bilateral ties.Independence Day 2026 LIVE: PM Modi to lead India’s 80th Independence Day celebrations at the historic Red Fort in Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead India’s 80th Independence Day celebrations at the historic Red Fort in Delhi on Saturday, and address the nation from its ramparts for the 13th consecutive time, setting a new record among non-Congress prime ministers.PM Modi will unfurl the Tricolour from the Red Fort before delivering his Independence Day address, continuing a tradition he has maintained since becoming Prime Minister in 2014. With his 13th consecutive address, he will become the most successful non-Congress Prime Minister in terms of consecutive Independence Day addresses from the Red Fort.Independence Day 2026 LIVE: India celebrates 80th Independance DayIndia is celebrating its 80th Independence Day today with patriotic fervour across the country, as the nation commemorates eight decades of freedom from British rule. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Independence Day greetings to citizens and paid tribute to the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment made India's independence possible.