India@75: 7 years of Independence Day celebration with Modi as PM - In Pics

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed India from the ramparts of Red Fort and hoisted the tricolour for the first time in 2014. This was his first major address to the nation, and it had come just weeks before his government completes 100 days in office. Narendra Modi had kept his speech extempore and spoke of his vision for the country. He had set the stage for a speech that was natural and high in emotions. 

With Independence Day theme 'Towards True Freedom', PM Modi addressed the nation from Red Fort and had said that the 'termite of corruption' will be rooted out as important steps would be taken to unearth black money. He had said that the "poison” of casteism and communalism could be fought with the “nectar of development” and added the people of India would take it to new heights.

In a speech that ran over 90 minutes, PM Modi celebrated the 70th Independence Day with the theme of 'Yaad Karo Kurbani'. He had talked about the achievements of his government over the last two years. He had stressed that the only way India can move forward was through unity, reiterating, “Ek Bharat, Shreshta Bharat." 

Addressing the nation for the fourth consecutive time from the ramparts of Red Fort, PM Modi had recalled the victims of the 2017 Gorakhpur tragedy in which over 60 children, affected by encephalitis, had died. He had also recalled the victims of floods in several states of the country, saying the country stands “shoulder to shoulder with them.

PM Modi, in his fifth address to the nation from Red Fort, had listed out advances that India has made in past few years and he spoke about his government's achievements in the past four years. This was his last Independence Day speech before 2019's general elections.

His sixth, and first after winning general elections for the second straight term, PM Modi talked about further usage of digital payments, encouraged domestic tourism and ‘Made in India’ products, and had said, India will soon become open defecation free country. 

In his longest speech (one-hour 26-minute) from the ramparts of Red Fort, PM Modi focused on the themes of "Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India)", "Vocal for local" and "Make in India to Make for World". He had paid tribute to those on the frontlines COVID-19 workers and declared that India had a roadmap ready for the production and distribution of three vaccines, which were at various stages of testing.