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.

Prime 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.