India celebrates its 80th Independence Day with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the national celebrations from the Red Fort in New Delhi.
This year’s celebrations also mark 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ and focus on ‘Yuva Shakti’ and India’s vision for a developed nation by 2047.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India is a strong contender to host the 2036 Olympics and to ensure that the country has a strong presence in the mega event, a nationwide talent hunt would be launched to identify prospects in the age group of 5 to 15.
Addressing the country from the ramparts of Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Modi said the government's flagship Target Olympic Podium Scheme, which was launched in 2014, has been a major success in providing support to athletes.
"India is making space for itself in the world of sports.
We hear our national anthem frequently and see our tri-colour going up very often.
TOPS has achieved great success.
Whether it is Khelo India Games, University Games, Beach Games, Winter Games, or sports training, sports medicine, sports nutrition, India is moving ahead at great pace," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort, said there is a need to isolate “dimaagi Naxals”.
He also said India is prepared to face challenges both within its borders and across them.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said 33% reservation for women is the “call of the hour” and appealed to all political parties to support the move.
PM urged political parties to work together to ensure reservations for women in state assemblies and Parliament, and called for greater respect for women’s power.
India has transformed from 'Fragile Five' to the world's fastest-growing major economy in the last 12 years, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday as he highlighted the strides the country made during his tenure.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, India was once counted among the 'Fragile Five'.
The world had dumped India's economy in the 'Fragile Five', he said.
However, India has, within just 12 years, emerged as the world's fastest-growing major economy, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for setting ambitious targets to strengthen India's position globally.
PM Modi said India should aim to have 50 companies among the Fortune 500 in the coming decade.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India has to become global supplier by leveraging next generation defence technology.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said we have to take digital public technologies to every corner of world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India has rapidly progressed in the last 12 years, with significant progress in the digital, manufacturing, infrastructure and social welfare sectors.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort after hoisting the national flag on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day, Modi said, "This speed of progress has been witnessed by the country for the first time since independence."
The prime minister added that in the past 12 years, defence production increased by four times, electronic manufacturing by seven times, high-tech railway coach production by 21 times, and mobile phone manufacturing by 33 times.
He highlighted that the country saw numerous achievements in the digital and innovation sector as well.
"Internet consumers increased by four times. Grant of patents went up by four times. Digital transactions increased by 100 per cent," Modi added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to implement a seven-point reform agenda which he termed as 'Saptdhara' to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat.
PM Modi said that when the West Asia crisis happened, some people tried to scare India by saying we will not get petrol, diesel or LPG. Due to our measures, there is no shortage of gas, fuel, or urea in the country today. We proved naysayers wrong by ensuring sufficient energy supplies during West Asia crisis.
PM Narendra Modi said that electrification of railways started in 1925 but in 90 years, only 30 pc work completed. In last decade, we completed 100 pc work.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech, said India has turned “no-go areas” into “go-ahead areas” and stressed the need to strengthen the country’s energy security.
PM also called for more nuclear power plants as part of India’s efforts to secure its energy needs.
Prime Minister Modi said the world will be forced to look at India differently when the world's most populous country becomes a developed nation.
In a first at the Red Fort, Vande Mataram will be rendered as part of the official celebrations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Raj Ghat here on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day.
Ahead of his address to the nation from the Red Fort, the prime minister visited the memorial of the Father of the Nation and paid homage to him.
He also paid tributes to the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment ensured the end of colonial rule.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted people on the occasion of Independence Day and said powered by 140 crore Indians, the country is scaling new heights of progress across different sectors.
Modi also paid tributes to the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment ensured the end of colonial rule.
"Warm greetings on the occasion of Independence Day.
We remember with gratitude the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment ensured the end of colonial rule," the prime minister said in a post on X.