NEW DELHI, Aug. 15 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted India's national flag at the Red Fort in New Delhi on Friday, marking the country's 80th Independence Day with a military ceremony and a nationally broadcast address from the historic Mughal-era fortress that has served as the backdrop for Independence Day observances since 1947.
The flag hoisting was synchronized with a 21-gun salute fired by gunners of the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial), a unit designated for formal state occasions. The coordination of the salvo with the unfurling of the tricolor is a fixed ceremonial protocol that has defined the Red Fort observance for decades.
This year's celebrations carried an additional cultural marker: the event commemorated 150 years of "Vande Mataram," the national song composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1876 and long regarded as a symbol of the independence movement against British rule. The song was performed as part of the formal program.
In his address from the ramparts, Modi emphasized "Atmanirbhar Bharat" — the government's self-reliance initiative — as central to the country's economic future, describing domestic manufacturing and reduced import dependence as national priorities.
Modi also directed a specific appeal to Indian youth during the address, urging young people to participate actively in the upcoming national census — one of the more concrete policy references in the speech.
Security in the capital was on high alert for the occasion. Multi-layer security arrangements were put in place around the Red Fort complex and across New Delhi ahead of the event, a standard posture for the annual celebration given the scale of the public gathering and the presence of senior government officials.
The Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and completed in 1648, became the symbolic seat of India's independence declaration on Aug. 15, 1947, when the first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, addressed the nation from its ramparts. Every prime minister since has led the Independence Day ceremony from the same location.
India gained independence from British rule on Aug. 15, 1947, ending nearly two centuries of colonial administration. The 80th anniversary falls within what the government has framed as "Amrit Kaal" — a 25-year development window running from the 75th to the 100th anniversary of independence in 2047, during which New Delhi has set targets across infrastructure, manufacturing and digital economy expansion.
