PM Modi to Lead 80th Independence Day Celebrations at Red Fort on August 15

‘Vande Mataram’ to be rendered for first time at Red Fort; 150th year of National Song and ‘Yuva Shakti’ to be central themes

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the nation in the 80th Independence Day celebrations from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Delhi on August 15, 2026.

This year’s ceremony will mark two major milestones: the 150th anniversary of the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ and the contribution of ‘Yuva Shakti’ to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. In a first, _Vande Mataram_ will be officially rendered during the Red Fort celebrations.

At the ramparts, the PM will be greeted by the Defence Minister, Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan and Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth.

Captain Sonia Singh Chauhan will assist the Prime Minister in hoisting the National Flag, followed by a 21-Gun Salute by the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial) using indigenous 105mm Light Field Guns. The battery will be commanded by Major Pawan Singh Shekhawat.

During the hoisting, the National Flag Guard — one officer and 32 personnel each from the three services and Delhi Police — will present the _Rashtriya Salute_. Major Lokendra Singh Shekhawat will command the Inter-Services Guard.

In a historic first, the Army band will play the tune of ‘Vande Mataram’ as the Tricolour is hoisted. The song will be sung by all present, followed by the National Anthem. The band will be conducted by Subedar Ishwar Singh.

Two Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters will shower flower petals over the venue. One helicopter will carry the national flag and the other a flag depicting _‘Vande Mataram’_. The helicopters will be piloted by Wing Commander Rajat and Squadron Leader Ankit Varshney.

Following the petal shower, the Prime Minister will address the nation. At the conclusion of his speech, 2,500 NCC cadets and _My Bharat_ volunteers seated on Gyanpath will sing Vande Mataram and the National Anthem. The cadets and volunteers will form the words ‘वंदे मातरम्’. View cutters themed _‘Viksit Bharat @2047’_ will also be installed at Gyanpath.

Around 5,000 special guests from across the country have been invited. The invitees include beneficiaries and achievers from various government schemes such as PM Mudra Yojana, PMAY-U, PM SVANidhi, PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana, PM Vishwakarma, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and Start-up India.

Other guests include International Yoga Day volunteers, sanitation workers, Delhi Metro staff, youth innovators, scientists, farmers under PM-MKSSY, nursing staff, cab drivers, and best-performing students from Delhi government schools.

Over 1,500 people dressed in traditional attire from different States and UTs have also been invited.

For visitor convenience, 25 cloak rooms have been set up at six locations. 200 volunteers from NCC and _My Bharat_ will assist guests. Wheelchair assistance will be available at metro stations and parking areas.

Delhi Metro will run from 4 AM on August 15 and will be free for invitees. Parking will be available at Parade Ground. Additional ramps and stairs have been installed for pedestrian movement. Traffic restrictions will be live on Google and Mappls Maps.

To manage weather, rain ponchos will be provided at Madhav Das Park and August 15 Park. Post-event, a _Swachhata Campaign_ involving NCC cadets and _My Bharat_ volunteers will be conducted for plogging and garbage removal. Drainage systems around Red Fort have also been cleaned in view of possible rain.

Seating enclosures have been named after major lakes of India, including Dal, Wular, Chilika, Loktak, Pangong Tso and Vembanad.

In the run-up to August 15, the Ministry of Defence and MyGov held essay, painting and online quiz competitions on themes like AI and _Viksit Bharat 2047_, _India 1947 vs 2047_, the Constitution, women in the freedom movement, and India’s achievements in space and nuclear technology. Around 600 winners will attend the celebrations.

Band performances by the Army, Navy, Air Force, CAPFs and NCC will be held at 343 locations across the country. Flag hoisting will also be carried out by the Indian Navy and local administration in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.

The 80th Independence Day celebrations aim to blend tradition with youth energy, honoring the past with _Vande Mataram_ while looking ahead to India’s centenary of independence in 2047.