Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his 12th Independence Day address to the nation from the Red Fort on Friday, saying that the spirit of freedom could be heard from deserts to Himalayan peaks, from coastal towns to bustling cities. This makes Modi the longest-serving Prime Minister to give consecutive Independence Day speeches, surpassing Indira Gandhi, who gave 11 consecutive addresses and 16 in total.
In his speech, Modi praised the abrogation of Article 370, calling it the realisation of the “One Nation, One Constitution” vision. “When we brought the mantra of one country, one constitution to life by demolishing the wall of Article 370, we revered Shyama Prasad Mookherjee,” he said. “Today, I see a miniature India in front of me, with people from every corner of the country — from panchayat members of remote villages to sports champions and innovators — gathered here. The Red Fort is also connected with India through technology.”
The Prime Minister noted that this year marks the 125th birth anniversary of Syama Prasad Mookherjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. “He was the first person to sacrifice his life for India’s Constitution,” Modi said, calling his contribution a lasting part of the country’s political, educational, and cultural history.
Modi also spoke about the national pride symbolised by the tricolour. “Over 140 crore Indians are carrying the colours of the tricolour. Whether in deserts, on Himalayan peaks, along the sea, or in crowded cities — everywhere the same song, the same slogan, praises of our motherland are being heard,” he said.
This year’s celebrations will also honour the success of Operation Sindoor, with its logo displayed at Gyanpath and floral decorations inspired by the mission. Around 5,000 special guests have been invited to the Red Fort, including members of the Indian contingent for the Special Olympics 2025, international sports winners, gold medalists of the Khelo India Para Games, and top-performing farmers under the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission.
For the first time, band performances will be held across more than 140 locations nationwide on Independence Day evening, featuring groups from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, NCC, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, BSF, IDS, RPF, and Assam Rifles.
Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir special status, was scrapped by the Modi-led government in August 2019, splitting the state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
