Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his 13th consecutive Independence Day address from the Red Fort on Saturday, with his 78-minute speech emerging as his shortest such address in four years, as per PTI reports.
The 2026 address was delivered on India’s 80th Independence Day. Modi has spoken to the nation from the Red Fort on every Independence Day since becoming prime minister in 2014. He also became the second prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to deliver 13 consecutive Independence Day speeches.
Modi’s 2026 speech lasted 78 minutes
Modi hoisted the National Flag at the Red Fort before beginning his address. The flag-hoisting ceremony was accompanied by a 21-gun salute from the ceremonial battery.
His 78-minute speech was significantly shorter than last year’s address, which lasted 103 minutes and became the longest Independence Day speech delivered by any Indian prime minister since Modi took office.
The 2026 address was also shorter than his speeches in 2024 and 2023, which lasted 98 and 90 minutes, respectively.
From 103 minutes in 2025 to 78 minutes in 2026
The duration of Modi’s Independence Day speeches has varied considerably over the years. His shortest address before 2026 was the 56-minute speech delivered in 2017.
In 2024, Modi spoke for 98 minutes, exceeding his previous record of 96 minutes set in 2016. The following year, his 103-minute address became his longest Independence Day speech.
The duration of his addresses over the years is:
2014: 65 minutes
2015: 88 minutes
2016: 96 minutes
2017: 56 minutes
2018: 83 minutes
2019: 92 minutes
2020: 90 minutes
2021: 88 minutes
2022: 74 minutes
2023: 90 minutes
2024: 98 minutes
2025: 103 minutes
2026: 78 minutes
Modi crosses Indira Gandhi’s consecutive speech record
With his 13th consecutive Independence Day address, Modi surpassed former prime minister Indira Gandhi, who delivered 11 consecutive speeches from 1966 to 1976.
Nehru remains ahead of both leaders, having delivered 17 uninterrupted Independence Day addresses between 1947 and 1963. Modi has addressed the nation from the Red Fort every August 15 since taking office in 2014.
