PM MODI TO LEAD 79TH INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS
New Delhi, Aug 14, 2025 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the nation in celebrating India’s 79th Independence Day on August 15, from the iconic Red Fort in Delhi. He will unfurl the National Flag and deliver an address from the ramparts, marking a grand spectacle themed ‘Naya Bharat’ to reflect India’s progress towards a prosperous, secure, and bold future in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Upon arriving at the Red Fort, the Prime Minister will be welcomed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area, Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, will escort the Prime Minister to the Saluting Base, where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard will present a general salute. The Prime Minister will then inspect the Guard of Honour, comprising 96 personnel, including one officer and 24 personnel each from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Delhi Police. The Guard, coordinated by the Indian Air Force this year, will be commanded by Wing Commander AS Sekhon, with contingents led by Major Arjun Singh (Army), Lieutenant Commander Komaldeep Singh (Navy), Squadron Leader Rajan Arora (Air Force), and Additional DCP Rohit Rajbir Singh (Delhi Police).
The Prime Minister will then proceed to the ramparts, greeted by the Defence Minister, Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Flying Officer Rashika Sharma will assist in hoisting the National Flag, synchronized with a 21-Gun Salute by the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial) using indigenous 105mm Light Field Guns, commanded by Major Pawan Singh Shekhawat. The National Flag Guard, comprising 128 personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Delhi Police, will present the Rashtriya Salute, led by Wing Commander Tarun Dagar. The Air Force band, including 11 Agniveer Vayu musicians for the first time, will play the National Anthem under Junior Warrant Officer M Deka. Two Mi-17 helicopters, piloted by Wing Commanders Vinay Poonia and Aditya Jaiswal, will shower flower petals, one displaying the national flag and the other the ‘Operation Sindoor’ flag.
This year’s celebrations will highlight the success of Operation Sindoor, with its logo featured on view cutters and floral decorations at Gyanpath, and invitation cards carrying the Operation Sindoor logo and a watermark of the Chenab Bridge, symbolizing Naya Bharat. After the flag-hoisting, the Prime Minister will address the nation, followed by the National Anthem sung by 2,500 NCC cadets and ‘My Bharat’ volunteers, who will form the ‘Naya Bharat’ logo at Gyanpath.
Approximately 5,000 special guests from diverse fields, including Special Olympics 2025 athletes, Khelo India Para Games gold medalists, top-performing farmers, sarpanches, young authors, entrepreneurs, and beneficiaries of schemes like PM Awaas Yojana Gramin and Lakhpati Didi, will attend. Over 1,500 people in traditional attire from various states and Union Territories, along with 1,000 winners of competitions like essay writing on Operation Sindoor and painting on ‘New India Empowered India,’ will also be present.
For public convenience, 25 cloak rooms at 12 locations, 190 volunteers from ‘My Bharat’ and NCC, wheelchair assistance at metro stations and parking areas, and additional parking for 250 cars have been arranged. Metro services will start at 4 AM to facilitate access to the venue.
To promote patriotism and celebrate Operation Sindoor, military and paramilitary bands, including those from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, NCC, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, BSF, IDS, RPF, and Assam Rifles, will perform at over 140 locations across India on the evening of Independence Day, enhancing the festive spirit nationwide.