By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI:The Nation will celebrate the 79th Independence Day on August 15, 2025, with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi leading the celebrations from the iconic Red Fort in Delhi. The Prime Minister will unfurl the National Flag and address the nation from the ramparts of the iconic monument. As the nation is making giant strides towards realising the Government’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the theme of this year’s celebrations is Naya Bharat. The celebrations will serve as a platform to commemorate the continuing rise of a prosperous, secure & bold Naya Bharat and provide renewed power to surge further ahead on the path to progress.
The Ceremony
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 Shri 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.
The National Flag Guard, comprising one officer and 32 Other Ranks each from the Army, Navy & Air Force and Delhi Police totalling 128 personnel, will present the Rashtriya Salute at the time of hoisting of the National Flag by the Prime Minister. Wing Commander Tarun Dagar will be in command of this Inter-Services Guard and Police Guard.
The Army Contingent in the National Flag Guard will be commanded by Major Prakash Singh, the Naval contingent by Lieutenant Commander Mohd Parvej and the Air Force Contingent by Squadron Leader VV Sharvan. The Delhi Police contingent will be commanded by Additional DCP Shri Abhimanyu Poswal.
After being hoisted, the Tricolour will receive a ‘Rashtriya Salute’. The Air Force band, consisting of one JCO and 25 Other Ranks, will play the National Anthem during the hoisting of the National Flag and presenting the ‘Rashtriya Salute’. The Band will be conducted by Junior Warrant Officer M Deka. For the first time, 11 Agniveer Vayu musicians will be part of the band which will be playing the National Anthem.
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.
