PM addressing the Nation on the occasion of 79th Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort, in Delhi on August 15, 2025.
🔴 LIVE: PM Modi delivers historic 103-minute Independence Day address from Red Fort
PM Modi’s Historic 79th Independence Day Address
Blueprint for a Viksit Bharat
Minutes Duration
Viksit Bharat Target
Employment Mission
Jobs Target
From the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his longest and most comprehensive Independence Day speech to date, clocking in at 103 minutes. Beginning at 7:33 AM and concluding at 9:16 AM, the address broke his own record of 98 minutes (2024) and became the longest Independence Day speech in Indian history.
It was also Modi’s 12th consecutive address, surpassing Indira Gandhi’s tally and ranking just behind Jawaharlal Nehru’s record of 17. The occasion, marking India’s 79th Independence Day, was steeped in symbolism — from the theme of ‘Naya Bharat’ to the roadmap for achieving ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.
🎯 Theme & Vision: ‘Naya Bharat’ Towards 2047
The celebrations centered around transforming India into a developed nation by 2047, coinciding with the centenary of independence. Modi urged all 140 crore Indians to act as stakeholders in this mission, blending immediate reforms with long-term national objectives.
📋 Key Announcements & Policy Roadmap
🎁 Next-Generation GST Reforms – A ‘Diwali Gift’
By Diwali 2025, the government will implement a streamlined GST structure:
- ✓ Collapse of four-tier rates into two primary slabs: 5% and 18%
- ✓ 90% of items in 28% slab to drop to 18%
- ✓ 99% of goods in 12% slab to move to 5%
- ✓ Luxury/sin goods to face special 40% rate
💼 Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY)
Employment Mission Budget
Jobs Target (Aug 2025 – July 2027)
- 💰 ₹15,000 incentive for first private-sector job
- 👥 For employees earning up to ₹1 lakh/month
- 📅 Two installment payouts after 6 and 12 months
🛡️ National Security & Defense Priorities
⚔️ Operation Sindoor – A Message to Terrorism
Responding to the Pahalgam terror attack (April 22, 2025):
- 🎯 Armed forces given “free hand” to retaliate
- 💥 Strikes deep inside enemy territory
- 🏭 Destruction of terror hubs in Pakistan
“Blood and water will not flow together”
– Suspension of Indus Waters Treaty confirmed
🛡️ Mission Sudarshan Chakra
Indigenous, multi-layered national defense shield by 2035:
- 🏭 Protects nuclear plants
- 🏢 Shields urban centers
- 🌊 Air, land, sea defense
- 💻 Cyber protection
🚀 Economic & Technological Self-Reliance
🏭 Atmanirbhar Bharat Milestones
- ✈️ Indigenous jet engine production
- 💻 First Made-in-India semiconductor chips
- ⚡ Nuclear energy for private sector
- 🔋 Critical minerals exploration
🌾 Agriculture & Rural Prosperity
- 🍽️ Full food security achieved
- 👩 2 crore “Lakhpati Didis”
- 🏟️ Former Naxal areas now sports hubs
- 🌱 PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana
🌍 Environmental Achievement
India achieved its 2030 clean energy goal (50% renewable capacity) in 2025 — five years early! This was positioned as a global climate leadership statement.
🏛️ Social & Political Undercurrents
🚩 Praise for RSS – A Historic First
For the first time in an Independence Day speech, Modi hailed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as the “world’s largest NGO” with 100 years of national service.
Opposition Response
- • Condemned as breach of secular principles
- • Congress: “Insult to freedom fighters”
Political Analysis
Analysts linked the move to political signaling ahead of future elections
🏗️ Infrastructure & National Image
Red to Green Corridors
Former Maoist strongholds transformed into growth corridors
Maha Kumbh Success
Prayagraj hosting cited as proof of India’s event management capabilities
🌍 International Context
⚡ Global Tensions & Economic Pressures
The address came amid heightened challenges:
🎯 Security Front
Indo-Pak tensions post-Operation Sindoor
💰 Economic Front
U.S. tariff hikes up to 50%
Modi’s Response: Framed self-reliance as India’s shield against global economic pressures and boost to domestic manufacturing
🎯 Conclusion: A Defining Speech for a Defining Era
PM Modi’s 103-minute address was more than a ceremonial speech — it was a strategic manifesto that masterfully intertwined multiple dimensions of governance and vision.
Immediate Relief
Tax cuts, job schemes, direct benefits
Long-term Vision
Viksit Bharat 2047 roadmap
Security Assertiveness
Sudarshan Chakra, Operation Sindoor
Self-Reliance
Technology & defense independence
📚 Historical Significance
The speech will likely be remembered as a turning point — not just for its record length, but for its sweeping scope, political undertones, and ambitious attempt to blend patriotism with a clear policy roadmap for India’s next quarter-century.
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