New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday delivered a record-breaking 103-minute speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, marking his 12th consecutive Independence Day address — the most by any Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru.
With this, Modi surpassed former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s tally of 11 consecutive addresses, placing him second only to Nehru, who delivered 17 Independence Day speeches during his tenure.
The 103-minute address is now the longest Independence Day speech by any Indian Prime Minister, breaking Modi’s own previous record of 98 minutes in 2024. His earlier longest speech stood at 96 minutes in 2016, while his briefest address came in 2017, lasting 56 minutes.
This year’s speech, delivered on India’s 79th Independence Day, outlined major announcements on national security, economic reforms, and self-reliance, while also reflecting on the country’s journey and aspirations ahead of its centenary of independence in 2047.
The Prime Minister’s address, delivered amid growing concerns over potential US tariff impositions on Indian goods, also called upon the country’s youth to actively partner with the government in building an Atmanirbhar Bharat — a self-reliant India.
