Independence Day 2019 Highlights | With 'sabka vishwas', govt working to meet people's aspirations: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hoisted the national flag on the 73rd Independence Day at the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in Delhi. Addressing the nation, PM Modi emphasised the government's focus on improving infrastructure and said Rs 100 lakh crore will be spent on this sector. Follow us for highlights from our coverage.

Watch PM Modi's full Independence Day speech

PM Modi's Full Speech and the Key takeaways and highlights

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his sixth Independence Day Prime Minster speech at the Red Fort, and touched on a host of issues, right from his government's landmark decision on Jammu and Kashmir, the state of the economy, the water crisis, plastic usage and digital economy

Read more

Modi look-alike, K-9 squad, enthral crowd

From a Modi impresario to heavily-armed troops pulled from the Indian frontier, the march of visually-impaired girls and a 35-strong contingent of K-9 cops, the Independence Day celebration at Manekshaw Parade Ground was textbook definition of variety.

Read more

No threat to identity of Kashmiris, Guv assures people

Assuring people of Jammu and Kashmir that neither their identity was at stake nor it has been tampered with, governor Satya Pal Malik said the changes brought out by the Center are not just historic but have opened a new vista of development for people of the state

Read more

Decision on Article 370 freed Kashmiris from shackles: UP CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said the Centre's decision to revoke provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir had freed the state's residents and paved a new path for them

Read more

Twitter releases special Ashoka Chakra emoji for I-Day

The emoji will appear at the end of the #IndiaIndependenceDay hashtag in various languages including Hindi, Tamil,Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Malayalam, Oriya and others

Read more

It's govt's duty to fulfill J&K people's hopes: PM Modi

Asserting that he did not have any personal agenda and was accomplishing the task entrusted to him by people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said it was the government's responsibility to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir and help them get new wings.

Read more

World leaders greet PM on Independence Day

World leaders on Thursday greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian people on the 73rdIndependenceDayand described New Delhi as a close friend.

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering were among the first leaders to congratulate Prime Minister Modi.

(PTI)

Independence Day celebrated at Kochi Naval base

A ceremonial parade was conducted on Thursday at the Naval Base here on the occasion of the nation's 73rd Independence Day.

Read more

Independence Day: India's journey through the decades

As India walks into its 73rd year of independence, we take a look at the seven decades that have gone by, highlighting some of the major events that helped shape the nation.

Read more

PM's appeal to save water inspires crowd

For many children and teachers who participated in the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on Thursday, the most important takeaway from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech was the message to conserve water.

Read more

Watch: Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech

Children collect waste after I-Day event at Red Fort

A number of children, who had come to the Red Fort to hear Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address, stayed back to collect the plastic waste, cups and banana peels strewn around the venue after the event, setting an example for others to follow.

Read more

Sonia Gandhi unfurls national flag at Cong headquarters

Congress president Sonia Gandhi unfurled the national tricolour at the party headquarters here on the 73rd Independence Day on Thursday.The flag hoisting ceremony was attended by many senior leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former party president Rahul Gandhi, Salman Khurshid, Ahmed Patel, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kapil Sibal, Motilal Vora, and Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Read more

AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi unfurls tricolour near Madina Chowk in Hyderabad.

Independence Day: PMs who hoisted tricolour at Red Fort

Here is the list of all the Prime Ministers who hoisted the national flag on Independence day at Red Fort.

Read more

PM urgers farmers to cut use of chemical fertilisers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday gave a clarion call to farmers to gradually reduce the use of chemical fertilisers and eventually stop their usage to protect soil health.

Read more

Independence Day celebrations underway in Leh.

Malik hoists tricolour in I-Day celebration in J&K

Governor Satya Pal Malik hoisted the national tricolour at the Sher-e-Kashmir stadium in the first Independence Day celebration in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of its special status.

Read more

One nation, one election to make India great: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made a fresh pitch for holding Lok Sabha and assembly polls together, saying the concept of 'one nation, one election' is imperative to make the country great.

Read more

73rd Independence Day: How India celebrated

As India walks into her 73rd year of independence, we take a look at how people across the nation celebrated the ushering in of the 73rd year.

Read More

Google dedicates doodle to Independence Day

Google dedicated a doodle showcasing patchwork of Indian culture, values and progress, on the 73rd Independence Day.

Read more

Independence Day: When Karnataka's sheroes led the way

As India entersits 73rd year of independence, the country is all set for its second biyearly descentinto the memory lane torecallthe freedom struggle, the gallant freedom fighters who fought it and their stories sprawled all over the history books.

Read more

How the Press fought for India's freedom

History books across India are filled with grand stories of the Indian independence struggle. Turn to any page of those books and you'll find tales of brave men and womenwho stood in open defiance of the British Raj even in the face of death and those who chose a more silent path. But there is another facet of this struggle, one that is not spoken of nearly as much as it should: the Press.

Read more

Our government does not delay decisions: PM Modi on Article 370

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that his government neither nurses problems nor keeps them pending and referred to the scrapping of special status to Jammu and Kashmir, saying India now is one nation with one constitution.

Read more

Achieving $5 trillion economy difficult: PM Modi

Months after setting an ambitious target of 5 trillion dollar economy for India in the next five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time admitted that the goal was difficult yet we should not stop trying.

Read more

Those who create wealth are India's wealth: PM Modi

Standing up for India Inc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said wealth creators should not be eyed with suspicion and that they are country's wealth and should be respected.Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort here on the 73rd Independence Day, he said wealth creation is a great national service.

Read more

PM announces creation of Chief of Defence Staff

In a major decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced the creation of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as head of the tri-services.The prime minister said the CDS will ensure synergy among the three services and provide effective leadership to them.

Read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets children at Red Fort

Let us further the use of digital payments all over the nation: PM Modi

“Digital payment ko haan, nakad ko na' Can we make this our motto? Let us increase the use of digital payments all over the country: PM Narendra Modi.

Govt to spend Rs 3.5 lakh cr for Jal Jivan Mission: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for a movement for conservationand judicious use of water and said the government will spend Rs 3. 5 lakh core on Jal Jivan Mission (Water is Life Mission).Addressing nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day, the PM gave a clarion call for a public movement to conserve water on the line of Swachch Bharat scheme.

Read more

'Huge' scope to improve India's tourism sector: Modi

There is a "huge" scope to improve India's tourism sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, and it was imperative that the country meets the aspirations of its people.

Read more

Stop using plastic bags: PM

The PM said, "Will urge shopkeepers to stop using plastic bags."PM Modi promotes 'lets make India plastic-free." He requested the citizens todiscardplastic bags, and asked thenation to use cloth and jute bags.

I pray that the whole world recognizes the positive decisions he made: Qamar Mohsin Shaikh, PM Modi's rakhi sister

Qamar Mohsin Shaikh, PM Modi's rakhi sister: I get the opportunity to tie rakhi to elder brother once every year, I'm happy. I pray that the next 5 years go so well for him that the whole world recognizes the positive decisions he made. I pray for his good health.

India will now have a Chief of Defence Staff- CDS: PM

"Our security forces are our pride. To further enhance coordination between our forces, I announce a big decision today, India will now have a Chief of Defence Staff- CDS. This is going to make the forces even more strong," PM says.

All countries in the world need to come together to fight terrorism: PM

PM Modi: Those who give protection to terrorism and support it must be exposed. Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka also are affected by terrorism. All countries in the world need to come together to fight this menace.

PM Modi announces 100 lakh crore for modern infrastructure

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his government will invest a massive Rs 100 lakh crore on developing modern infrastructure that will aid in nearly doubling the size of the Indian economy to USD 5 trillion in the next five years.

"To some the target of nearly doubling the size of the Indian economy to USD 5 trillion in five years may seem difficult. But when we have in five years (of BJP rule) added USD 1 trillion as compared to USD 2 trillion size achieved in 70 years of independence, then this target is achievable," he said.

Today, people are not happy with a 5-star railway station: PM

The PM said, "Earlier even if a decision was taken on paper that a railway station will be built in an area, there used to be positivity among people for years. Time has changed now, people aren't satisfied with the station, they immediately ask "when will Vande Bharat express come in our area?"

"Today, people are not happy with a 5-star railway station. They want to know when will the airport be ready. When will we lay the electricity lines? They want to know when the 24-hour supply will be provided. We need to meet these global parameters to move forward," Prime Minister Narendra Modi says.

I always ask- can we not remove the excess influence of Governments on people's lives. Let our people have the freedom of pursuing their own aspirations, let the right ecosystem be made in this regard: PM Modi

Every effort made to remove corruption and black money is welcome. These are menaces that have ruined India for 70 long years. Let us reward honesty: PM Modi

It is unfortunate that a lot of people lack access to water even after 70 years of Independence. Work on the Jal Jeevan Mission will continue with great enthusiasm in the years to come: PM Modi

Society must be enlightened on the ill-effects of population explosion, and the governments of India must work together so we don't leave behind a broken, unhealthy society: PM Modi

Population explosion is a big problem India is facing: PM Modi

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Justice, Peace & Democracy - these are the values our forefathers fought for. As we celebrate our 73rd Independence Day we must not lose sight of these values & ensure as we continue to grow we do so with them in mind: Congress on Twitter

Independence Day Quiz: Test your knowledge of India

Ready to test your knowledge on the Nation? Take this quiz to see how much you know

Read more

GST brought to life the dream of 'one nation, one tax'. India has also achieved 'one nation, one grid' in the energy sector. Arrangements have been made for 'one nation, one mobility card'. Today, India is talking about 'one nation, one election': PM Modi

Every government did their work over the last 70 years, but many houses did not have water or electricity: PM Modi

India-Pakistan partition: Films which depict the divide

Here are10 movies that show us what went also happened on August 15, 1947

Read more

If India has to establish itself in the world, then we must remove poverty from the country: PM Modi

Every citizen of India can now say "One nation, one constitution": PM Modi

The old system in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh led to corruption, nepotism but there was injustice when it came to rights of women, children, Dalits, tribal communities. The dreams of sanitation workers were incomplete. How can we accept this?: PM Modi

PM Modi attacks those who failed to act on Article 370, asks why they did not remove it or make it permanent

We do not believe in creating problems or dragging them. In less than 70 days of our new Government, Article 370 was revoked, and in both Houses of Parliament, 2/3rd of the members supported this move: PM Modi

Independence day: When Karnataka's sheroes led the way

Here's a look at some women from Karnataka who stood in defiance of the British Raj.

Read more

Now is the time to think about the India of the 21st century and how the dreams of the people will be fulfilled. We are following a plan to fulfill aspirations of the New India: PM Modi

If 2014-19 was an era to fulfil people's needs, the time since 2019 is about meeting aspirations and dreams: PM Modi

Muslim countries removed the archaic triple talaq, but we hesitated to give the same rights to our Muslim women. When we can ban Sati, make laws to prevent female infanticide, why can we not empower Muslim women by removing triple talaq?: PM Modi

The country fully understands the importance of water conservation and that is why a ministry for Jal Shakti has been formed: PM Modi

In the last five years, we tried to improve the ease of living. We will work harder in the next five years: PM Modi

In 2014, we were a new face. People were wondering if the country can change simply because the government changed: PM Modi

As we celebrate Independence day today, I bow down to all brave freedom fighters who laid their lives for our freedom: PM Modi

Article 370 and 35A being revoked are steps towards realizing the dream of Sardar Patel: PM Modi

Today, when we are marking Independence Day, many of our citizens are suffering due to floods in various parts of the country. We stand in solidarity with those who are affected by the floods: PM Modi

I congratulate all my brothers and sisters a very happy Rakshabandhan. May this festival of love fulfills all our aspirations: PM Modi

This new government has not been in power for even 10 weeks, but in these weeks, the government has empowered the development of various sectors. We are dedicated to the people of this country: Narendra Modi

PM Modi arrives at Red Fort ahead of his Independence Day speech

PM Modi pays his respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat

'There will be some restrictions on I-Day in Kashmir'

There will be some restrictions in Kashmir Valley on the Independence Day even as a general assessment is that the situation has been calm, Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal said on Wednesday.

Read more

Modi set to deliver his sixth straight I-Day speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver on Thursday his sixth straight Independence Day speech and is expected to touch on a host of issues, ranging from his government's landmark decision on Jammu and Kashmir to the state of economy, in what will be also be his first address after coming back to power with a huge mandate.

Read more

Delhi Police uses facial recognition to secure Red Fort

The Delhi Police is using cameras equipped with facial recognition software for the first time to secure the Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag on the 73rd Independence Day, officials said.

Read more