India’s 80th Independence Day: Vande Mataram echoes at Red Fort for first time, Modi hails freedom fighters

New Delhi: India is celebrating its 80th Independence Day on Saturday with patriotic fervour, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the national celebrations at the Red Fort. For the first time, the National Song Vande Mataram was rendered as part of the Independence Day ceremony at the historic venue, followed by the National Anthem.

Modi inspected the Guard of Honour at the Red Fort before hoisting the national flag and delivering his Independence Day address. His speech is currently underway.

Ahead of the ceremony, Modi visited Raj Ghat and paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, honouring the Father of the Nation on the occasion of Independence Day.

Earlier, the prime minister greeted people on Independence Day and paid tribute to the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment brought an end to colonial rule.

He said the dreams of the freedom fighters continue to inspire the country as people work together to build a Viksit Bharat.

“Powered by 140 crore Indians, our nation is scaling new heights of progress across different sectors,” Modi said.

The celebrations at the Red Fort also mark 150 years of the enduring legacy of Vande Mataram and highlight the contribution of the country's youth to the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The ceremony featured the rendition of Vande Mataram by the Army band and everyone present at the Red Fort, followed by the National Anthem. At the conclusion of Modi's address, 2,500 NCC cadets and My Bharat volunteers are scheduled to sing the National Song, followed by the National Anthem.

President Droupadi Murmu, in her address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day, stressed the need to protect the future of India's youth. She said the government was undertaking comprehensive reforms to make public examinations more transparent, secure and trustworthy and to curb paper leaks and unfair practices.

Murmu also highlighted India's economic progress, youth entrepreneurship, women's empowerment, sports and technological development. She said India was moving towards the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, driven by economic resilience, digital infrastructure and empowered youth and women.

She paid tribute to the freedom fighters and remembered Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. She also remembered those who lost their lives or were displaced during Partition.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, meanwhile, said India's constitutional values, democratic institutions and social harmony had faced “serious challenges” over the past decade.

Kharge said freedom meant more than liberation from British rule and included the constitutional guarantees of equality, dignity, justice and freedom of expression. He called for equal opportunities and justice for youth, farmers, women, Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, minorities and economically weaker sections.

Across the country, Independence Day celebrations include flag-hoisting ceremonies, cultural programmes and patriotic performances. Patriotic band performances are being held at 343 prominent locations, while nearly 5,000 special guests from different walks of life have been invited to the Red Fort celebrations.

In Delhi, security has been tightened around the Red Fort and other sensitive locations, with more than 25,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel deployed. More than 1,000 CCTV cameras equipped with AI-based video analytics are being used around the Red Fort as part of a multi-layered security arrangement.