Independence Day 2026 LIVE: PM Modi's convoy arrives at Red Fort, address shortly

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: PM Modi paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in Delhi. Watch here:

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other key defence officials welcomed PM Modi at Red Fort ahead of his Independence Day address.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: PM Modi's convoy has arrived at Red Fort. He will deliver his Independence Day address from the ramparts of Red Fort shortly at 7:30am.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: Independence Day celebrations in Delhi will feature the traditional ceremonial proceedings and a parade, with this year’s programme also spotlighting 150 years of Vande Mataram. For the first time, Vande Mataram will be sung from the Red Fort before the national anthem. Focus will also remain on the youth this time, with “150 Years of Vande Mataram” and “Yuva Shakti for Viksit Bharat@2047” being the two big themes.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India, had told Pakistan’s Constituent Assembly back on August 14, 1947: “Tomorrow, the government of the new dominion of Pakistan will rest in your hands.”

Even so, Islamabad marks its Independence Day the day before India’s. Tap to read why.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: PM Modi paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Delhi's Rajghat on Independence Day. He will begin his I-day address at Red Fort at 7:30am.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: As Prime Minister, Modi has delivered 12 speeches from Red Fort on Independence Day so far, with the Saturday address being his 13th. The first address was in 2014, after the NDA-led government came to power in India.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: Delhi metro operations began earlier than usual today at 4am, to facilitate guests, special invitees and others for Independence Day celebrations. Trains will run at a frequency of 30 minutes on all lines.

The Lal Quila, Jama Masjid and Delhi Gate metro stations are the nearest stations to the venue of the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: Iran and Israel also extended greetings to India on 80th Independence Day. Reuven Azar, Ambassador of Israel to India, drew parallels between India and Israel's cultures and heritage.

“We are proud of the Israel and India's friendship and will continue to strengthen our partnership,” Azar said in a video message in which he also extended greetings in Hindi.

Meanwhile, The Embassy of Iran in India also extended greetings. “The longstanding and historic relations between Iran and India are rooted in the deep civilizational, cultural, and historical bonds between the two nations and have always been based on mutual respect and friendly cooperation,” a post on X read.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended 80th Independence Day greetings to India. In a detailed message, he hailed ties between US President Donald Trump and PM Modi.

“Thanks to the personal relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, the U.S.-India relationship continues to grow and is stronger than ever. From defence and energy security to critical minerals, artificial intelligence, space cooperation, and commerce, our collaboration is making both of our nations, and the broader Indian Ocean region, safer, stronger, and more prosperous…,” he wrote.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: Like every year, it remains a confusion for many that which Independence Day are we celebrating - 79th or 80th?

The confusion arises because people often simply subtract 1947 from the present year, which is 2026, and arrive at 79. The mistake happens because they don't factor in the first celebration itself, which happened in 1947.

Going by that logic, today marks the 80th Independence Day. Read full story here.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: If you can't make it to Red Fort to listen to PM Modi's speech in person, fret not. The speech will be live streamed across many online platforms and will also be broadcasted live on TV.

Independence day celebrations will be broadcasted across the Doordarshan network on 15th August. Live coverage will start at 6:30am, according to an official announcement by Doordarshan.

You can also watch the event on HT INDIA's YouTube channel which is scheduled to begin at 7am on August 15.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a message and warm greetings to the country for Independence Day. “We remember with gratitude the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment ensured the end of colonial rule. Their dreams continue to inspire us as we work together to build a Viksit Bharat. Powered by 140 crore Indians, our nation is scaling new heights of progress across different sectors. May this journey keep progressing at an even greater pace in the times to come,” he wrote on X.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: Celebrations may get marked amid very light to light rainfall in the national capital today. The Red Fort area could see a generally cloudy sky, with a spell of very light to light rain of about 5 mm expected between 4 am and 6 am on August 15, with a 70 per cent probability, the IMD said.

"The monsoon trough is expected to move northwestwards, and around August 15, a low-pressure area is likely to develop over southeast Uttar Pradesh and northern Chhattisgarh," Mahesh Palawat of Skymet said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Independence Day 2026 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive at Red Fort in Delhi today to deliver his Independence Day speech.

The Prime Minister hoists the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort and addresses the nation every Independence Day. True to the tradition, PM Narendra Modi will also hoist the tricolour on August 15.