Independence Day at Red Fort: what Delhi’s August 15 ceremony marks

Delhi’s Red Fort will again be the focal point of India’s Independence Day observance on August 15, with the Prime Minister scheduled to hoist the national flag and address the nation. The national anthem is played during the ceremony, while flag-hoisting events, cultural programmes, parades and kite flying take place elsewhere across the country.

The day marks India’s independence from British rule on August 15, 1947, and honours freedom fighters. This year’s observance is being described as the country’s 80th Independence Day.

It differs from Republic Day, held each January 26. That occasion marks the Constitution coming into force in 1950 and India becoming a republic. Republic Day’s central ceremony is held at Kartavya Path, where the President hoists the flag; its annual parade runs towards India Gate and includes cultural tableaux and displays by the armed forces.

For Delhi residents travelling on Saturday, the Red Fort area will be subject to road closures and tighter security, while Delhi Metro services are set to begin at 4am.