'For first Time Since Independence, Vande Mataram at Red Fort…': PM Modi's Aug 15 message

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 2026 Independence Day address from the Red Fort, invoked the patriotic song “Vande Mataram” as India marks 150 years since it was written. He said this was the first time since Independence that “Vande Mataram” was invoked from the Red Fort in such a manner. Referring to areas recently affected by floods, Modi said the country’s commitment to development and nation-building cannot be small. “When dreams are big, commitments cannot be small,” he said, reiterating his vision of building a Viksit Bharat by 2047.