India celebrates 79th Independence Day; PM hoists national flag at Red Fort

NEW DELHI: India celebrated its 79th Independence Day by hoisting the national flag at the Red Fort. The Prime Minister said that Independence Day is a festival of pride. Addressing the nation, the Prime Minister said that the Constitution is the guide. He also mentioned Operation Sindoor. He clarified that the army gave a befitting reply to the terrorists and the government had given complete freedom to the army.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, in Delhi, on #IndependenceDay

(Video: DD) pic.twitter.com/3ecTwDdQXB

— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2025

The theme of this year's celebrations is Nav Bharat. Around 5,000 guests are participating in the event. Earlier, the Prime Minister had wished everyone a happy Independence Day through an email. 'Happy Independence Day to everyone. May this day inspire us to work harder to realise the dreams of our freedom fighters. Jai Hind', he wrote in the email.

Celebrations in state too

As part of the Independence Day celebrations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hoisted the national flag at the Central Stadium at 9 am today. The Chief Minister received the salute at the parade of various armed and non-armed forces, including the Cavalry, NCC, Scouts, Guides, Student Police, etc. The chief minister delivered the Independence Day message.

The chief minister will award the President's Police Medals, Fire Service Medals, Correctional Service Medals, and Life Saving Medals for distinguished service. The Indian Air Force will shower flowers in a helicopter. After the parade, children from various schools in Thiruvananthapuram city will sing patriotic songs.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar hoisted the flag in the Raj Bhavan and Speaker A N Shamseer in the Assembly. Ministers will lead the Independence Day celebrations in other districts. The Department of Public Administration has issued a circular banning the use, manufacture, and sale of the national flag made of plastic and requiring compliance with the green protocol.