Around 5,000 special guests to witness celebrations
New Delhi, Aug 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the 80th Independence Day celebrations from the Red Fort in Delhi on August 15, 2026. The grand event will commemorate 150 years of the enduring legacy of the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ and celebrate the energy, aspirations and pivotal contribution of ‘Yuva Shakti’ in driving India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047.
For the first time, ‘Vande Mataram’ will be rendered during the celebrations at the Red Fort.
Around 5,000 special guests from different walks of life have been invited to witness the celebrations at the Red Fort this year. They include International Yoga Day volunteers, women entrepreneurs under PM Mudra Yojana, beneficiaries under NAMASTE, PM AJAY and SEED, best-performing My Bharat volunteers and PMAY(U) beneficiaries.
Street vendors under PM SVANidhi, urban sanitation workers under Swachh Bharat Mission, best-performing Delhi Metro workers, workers of Kartavya Path/Central Vista, youth innovators under National Innovation Programmes, innovators and scientists, Sarthi/Cab/Taxi drivers of Bharat Taxi in Delhi and best interns under the Prime Minister Internship Scheme will also attend.
The invitees also include best-performing start-ups supported under various schemes and Start-up India Seed Fund, youth trained under PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana, nursing orderlies and other staff of government hospitals in Delhi, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana beneficiaries, artisans under PM Vishwakarma and beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana.
Best-performing farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana and best-performing students of various quizzes and competitions conducted by Delhi government schools are also among the invitees.
Over 1,500 people from various States and Union Territories, dressed in traditional attire, have also been invited to witness the grand ceremony.
For the convenience of visitors, 25 cloak rooms at six locations have been installed for the Independence Day celebrations. A total of 200 volunteers—100 from NCC and 100 from My Bharat—will assist visitors along with police personnel in reaching their enclosures.
NCC cadets will also be present at metro stations and parking areas to assist visitors requiring wheelchairs.
Metro services will be operational from 4 AM on August 15, with free travel provided to all invitees. Metro QR codes are being provided along with e-invitations.
Parking will be available at Parade Ground for visitors with valid parking permits or labels. More robust ramps and stairs have also been installed to facilitate pedestrian movement from upper Subhash Marg to lower Subhash Marg.
Traffic restrictions will be available on Google and Mappls Maps on the day of the main event. The invitation card this year depicts the Seva Teerth and Dharam Chakra.
In view of unpredictable weather conditions, rain ponchos will be provided to invitees in Madhav Das Park and August 15 Park, besides dignitaries at the Rampart.
To underscore the importance of water conservation and end VIP culture, the seating enclosures for the Independence Day celebrations have been named after major lakes of India.
The enclosures are Badkhal, Bhimtal, Chandratal, Chilika, Dalpat Sagar, Dimna, Dudhsagar, Haflong, Harike, Hussain Sagar, Kanwar, Kankaria, Kolleru, Loktak, Lonar, Pangong Tso, Pulicat, Pushkar, Rabindra Sarobar, Ramgarh Tal, Rudrasagar, Sakhya Sagar, Shanti Sagar, Vembanad and Wular.
A post-event Swachhata Campaign will be organised at the Red Fort involving NCC cadets and My Bharat volunteers. The campaign aims to ensure systematic plogging and prompt removal of garbage after spectators disperse from the venue.
In view of potential rainfall during the ceremony, drainage and sewage systems in and around the Red Fort and nearby premises are being thoroughly cleaned to prevent water overflow.
In the run-up to Independence Day, the Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with MyGov, conducted quizzes and competitions on the role of AI in building a Viksit Bharat by 2047, India 1947 versus India 2047, the Constitution of India, women in India’s freedom movement, milestones of modern India and India’s achievements in nuclear technology.
Around 600 winners of these competitions will also participate in the celebrations.
The Education Department of the Government of NCT of Delhi organised a range of activities, including My Bharat Collage Competition, Salute the Heroes, cultural fusion performances, Quiz Relay, Recycled Tricolor Art Activity, Tiranga Cyclothon, Tiranga Run, Tiranga Walkathon and Har Ghar Tiranga.
Delhi Police also organised debates, patriotic song singing, essay and quiz competitions on freedom fighters, slogan and creative writing competitions on national integrity, poster and painting competitions on Aatmanirbhar Bharat, street plays on national unity, drug-abuse awareness programmes, women’s safety and self-defence programmes, cyber awareness and security programmes, and a Unity in Diversity cultural programme.
To promote patriotic fervour and celebrate Independence Day, band performances are being held at 343 prominent locations across the country.
The performances will feature bands of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, NCC, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, BSF, Integrated Defence Staff, Railway Protection Force and Assam Rifles. Entry to these venues will be open to the public.
Flag hoisting will also be carried out by the Indian Navy and local administration in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
