Independence Day National Flag Hoisting: Which Prime Minister Has Given Longest & Shortest Speech At Red Fort?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at the Red Fort on August 15, 2025, for the celebration of the 79th year of Independence. He will unfurl the National Flag and address the nation from the ramparts of the iconic monument. The theme of this year's Independence Day is Naya Bharat, in line with the government's vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. But did you know PM Modi is now the third prime minister to have hoisted the national flag the most number of times?

Here are some interesting facts related to the national flag, the Red Fort speech, and the event.

Which PM Of India Hoisted The National Flag the Most?

PM Modi is hoisting the national flag for the 12th consecutive time on the 79th Independence Day. At Red Fort, he has been hoisting the flag since 2014, placing him in the third spot of hoisting the national flag the most number of times.

The title of hoisting the national flag the most is held by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. He hoisted the national flag at least 17 times. The second spot is held by Nehru's daughter, Indira Gandhi, who was the second prime minister and the first female prime minister of India. She hoisted the national flag 16 times.

Shortest And Longest Red Fort Speech On Independence Day:

The record of the shortest speeches at Red Fort during Independence Day is held by both father and daughter, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. The shortest speech record was of 14 minutes by Nehru in 1954 and Indira in 1966.

Also, former prime minister Manmohan Singh delivered one of the shortest speeches, to the tune of 32 and 35 minutes, in 2012 and 2013. Meanwhile, another former prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's speeches, lasted 25 and 30 minutes in 2002 and 2003, respectively.

PM Modi holds the record of longest speech, a remarkable 98-minute-long speech in 2024. His first speech as prime minister was at least 65 minutes long in 2014. In the past ten years, most of his Red Fort speeches during Independence Day have been over an hour long. In 2015, PM Modi's speech was 88 minutes, while he spoke for 83 minutes in 2018. His speech was nearly 92 minutes in 2019, followed by 90-minute and 88-minute-long speeches in 2020 and 2021.

Earlier, a report of PTI had revealed that historically, Nehru's first speech was 72 minutes long in 1947, when India first got independence from the British.

79th Independence Day Event:

As per PIB, upon his arrival at the Red Fort, the Prime Minister will be received by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh. The Defence Secretary will introduce the General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area, Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, to the Prime Minister.

The GoC, Delhi Area will then conduct Narendra Modi to the Saluting Base where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard will present general salute to the Prime Minister. Thereafter, the Prime Minister will inspect the Guard of Honour.

The Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister will consist of 96 personnel (one officer & 24 personnel each from the Army, Navy, Air Force & Delhi Police. The Indian Air Force is the coordinating service for the Independence Day celebrations this year. The Guard of Honour will be commanded by Wing Commander AS Sekhon. The Army contingent in the Prime Minister's Guard will be commanded by Major Arjun Singh, the Naval contingent by Lieutenant Commander Komaldeep Singh and the Air Force contingent by Squadron Leader Rajan Arora. The Delhi Police contingent will be commanded by Additional DCP Shri Rohit Rajbir Singh.

After inspecting the Guard of Honour, the Prime Minister will proceed to the ramparts of the Red Fort where he will be greeted by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh. The GoC, Delhi area will conduct the Prime Minister to the dais on the ramparts to hoist the National Flag.

Flying Officer Rashika Sharma will assist the Prime Minister in hoisting the National Flag. It will be synchronised with the 21-Gun Salute by the valiant gunners of the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial). The ceremonial battery, utilising the indigenous 105mm Light Field Guns, will be commanded by Major Pawan Singh Shekhawat and the Gun Position Officer will be Naib Subedar (Assistant Instructor in Gunnery) Anuthosh Sarkar.

As soon as the National Flag is hoisted by the Prime Minister, flower petals will be showered at the venue by two Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force - one trooping the national flag and the other trooping a flag depicting 'Operation Sindoor'. The captains of the helicopters will be Wing Commander Vinay Poonia and Wing Commander Aditya Jaiswal.