Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Raj Ghat here on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day.Ahead of his address to the nation from the Red Fort, the prime minister visited the memorial of the Father of the Nation and paid homage to him.Earlier, Modi greeted people on the occasion of Independence Day and said powered by 140 crore Indians, the country is scaling new heights of progress across different sectors.He also paid tributes to the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment ensured the end of colonial rule. — with AgenciesPM Modi sports red tie-and-dye turban for 80th Independence Day celebrationsAugust 15, 2026 7:31 amPrime Minister Narendra Modi marked the 80th Independence Day with his signature flair, sporting a traditional tie-and-dye red turban for his 13th consecutive address to the nation from the historic ramparts of the Red Fort. Modi paired his white kurta and chocolate brown vest with the traditional turban, common in Rajasthani and Gujarati culture. He also sported three pocket squares of saffron, green and white colours.US Secretary of State Rubio greets India on Independence DayAugust 15, 2026 7:30 amUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio has greeted the people of India on its 80th Independence Day, asserting that the bilateral ties were stronger than ever due to the personal relationship between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a statement, Rubio said the deep ties of friendship and family between the people of the two countries form the foundation of a partnership that is innovative, resilient and forward looking. “On behalf of the United States of America, I extend warm congratulations to the people of India on their Independence Day,” Rubio said. “Thanks to the personal relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, the US-India relationship continues to grow and is stronger than ever,” the US secretary of state said.PM inspects guard of honour at Red FortAugust 15, 2026 7:30 amPM Modi inspects guard of honour at Red Fort ahead of his address to the nation on 80th Independence Day.PM Modi pays floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj GhatAugust 15, 2026 7:28 amPrime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Raj Ghat on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day. Ahead of his address to the nation from the Red Fort, the PM visited the memorial of the Father of the Nation and paid homage to him.PM Modi greets people on Independence DayAugust 15, 2026 7:27 amPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted people on the occasion of Independence Day and said powered by 140 crore Indians, the country is scaling new heights of progress across different sectors. Modi also paid tributes to the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment ensured the end of colonial rule. “Warm greetings on the occasion of Independence Day. We remember with gratitude the countless freedom fighters whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment ensured the end of colonial rule,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X. He said the dreams of the freedom fighters continue to inspire everyone as people work together to build a “Viksit Bharat”. “Powered by 140 crore Indians, our nation is scaling new heights of progress across different sectors. May this journey keep progressing at an even greater pace in the times to come,” Modi said.Delhi on high alert for Independence Day; 25,000 personnel deployedAugust 15, 2026 7:21 amThe capital is on high alert in view of Independence Day celebrations, with more than 25,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel deployed across the city to maintain law and order, while a multi-layered security grid has been placed around the Red Fort, involving over 1,000 CCTV cameras and AI-based video analytics, a senior police officer said. Elaborate security arrangements are in place around the historic Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unfurl the national flag and address the nation.