Independence Day 2025: New normal in India will not tolerate terrorism, nuclear blackmail, says PM Modi in Speech; here are highlights

Independence Day 2025: India is celebrating its 79th Independence Day on Friday, under cloudy, damp skies with with light rain in the air. At the heart of the celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his 12th consecutive Independence Day address — and his second since securing a third term — from the ramparts of Delhi’s historic Red Fort.

The speech came at a geopolitically charged moment: months after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, and hours before the anticipated Trump–Putin meeting in Alaska, which could influence India’s case against the recently announced 50% US tariff on Indian goods for its trade relations with President Putin.

"Wishing everyone a very happy Independence Day. May this day inspire us to keep working even harder to realise the dreams of our freedom fighters and build a Viksit Bharat. Jai Hind," the longest PM India has seen yet wrote on his X handle early in the day.

Here are the highlights from his Indepndence Day Speech:

• Today, 140 crore Indians are draped in the colours of the tricolour. The praise of our motherland, dearer to us than life itself, is echoing everywhere.
  
• Ambedkar, Nehru, Patel and women power contributed immensely to the making of the Constitution
• Today, we are also celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
• This great festival of freedom is a festival of 140 crore resolutions...This great festival of freedom is a festival of 140 crore resolutions. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all countrymen on the occasion of the festival of independence.
• In recent days, we have faced multiple natural disasters. Our condolences are with the affected people.