‘Naya Bharat, Operation Sindoor’: PM Modi’s Red Fort Address To Echo Theme For 79th Independence Day

Recommended Stories

Modi will lead the celebrations from Red Fort, where he will unfurl the Tricolour and address the nation.

Coordinated  by the Indian Air Force, this year’s event will feature a ceremonial Guard of Honour, a 21-gun salute, and a special fly past carrying both the National Flag and the Operation Sindoor flag.

The Prime Minister will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, and defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at the Red Fort. He will be introduced to Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the Delhi Area, who will escort him to the saluting base for the general salute and Guard of Honour inspection.

The Guard of Honour will comprise 96 personnel — one officer and 24 members each from the army, navy, air force, and Delhi police — commanded by Wing Commander AS Sekhon. Following the inspection, he will proceed to the ramparts to greet the three service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

Flying Officer Rashika Sharma will assist in hoisting the Tricolour, synchronised with a 21-gun salute from the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial) using indigenous 105 mm Light Field Guns. The National Flag Guard — 128 personnel drawn equally from the three armed services and the Delhi police — will present the Rashtriya Salute.

The Air Force band, led by Junior Warrant Officer M Deka, will play the National Anthem with 11 Agniveer Vayu musicians taking part for the first time. As the flag is raised, two IAF Mi-17 helicopters, captained by Wing Commanders Vinay Poonia and Aditya Jaiswal, will shower flower petals over the venue — one flying the National Flag and the other bearing the Operation Sindoor flag.

11,000-STRONG SECURITY COVER NEAR RED FORT

New Delhi, meanwhile, will be fortified for Independence Day with snipers at high-rise buildings, heightened camera surveillance across the city and more than 11,000 security personnel and 3,000 traffic police for security in and around the Red Fort.

For Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address from the Red Fort, personnel from the Delhi police, army and paramilitary forces have been deployed with multiple layers of security in place.

Here is a look at the security arrangements around the Red Fort:

• A key directive is to ensure that there are no bird feeding points in the areas surrounding the Red Fort. “The Delhi Police, in coordination with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), has asked non-vegetarian eateries to dispose of food waste properly so flocks of birds are not attracted,” a senior police officer said. This measure aims to prevent any disturbance to helicopter movement on August 15.
• There is heavy surveillance through CCTV cameras, drone detection systems, and facial recognition cameras and ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras. These will be used to monitor the venue and its surrounding areas.
• For the first time, under-vehicle surveillance systems (UVSS) will be deployed at five parking areas of the Red Fort to scan the underside of vehicles for explosives, weapons or contraband. Admission to Red Fort on August 15 is strictly through invitation cards and only labelled vehicles will be allowed in its vicinity.
• Headcount cameras to track crowd numbers and devices to flag unattended or suspicious objects will also be deployed, while intrusion-detection cameras will monitor the restricted zones.
• Snipers and rooftop surveillance teams will be deployed to secure the high-rises near the Red Fort, while movement in the designated restricted zones will be strictly regulated through access control mechanisms.

Here is a look at security measures around New Delhi:

• Delhi traffic police has restricted the entry of commercial vehicles to the national capital after 10 pm on Thursday (August 14).
• Special teams are deployed at all major railway stations, interstate bus terminals, airports, and metro stations. Passenger screenings, baggage checks, and random identity verifications have been intensified.
• Security has been stepped up at water treatment plants to protect vital installations, with a special focus on north and central districts in Delhi.
• DCP-rank officers will be overseeing the anti-drone mechanism, with surveillance intensified along the Yamuna as speed boats have been deployed in the river.
• Apart from multiple security drills, night patrolling and enhanced foot patrolling, plain-clothed surveillance teams are being mobilised to strengthen ground presence, especially in the sensitive zones.
• Social media platforms are being closely monitored by the cyber units to detect and neutralise any possible online threats or misinformation campaigns that may disrupt peace.
• Anti-sabotage checks, vehicle barricading, and verification drives are being intensified in coordination with the intelligence agencies.
• There is a ban on sub-conventional aerial platforms such as paragliders, hang-gliders, UAVs, drones, hot air balloons and other remotely piloted aircraft over Delhi skies between August 2 and August 16.
• All district police units have been directed to conduct foot patrolling in the markets, Metro stations, bus terminals, and other public gathering points. Senior officers have been told to remain on the ground and review the security arrangements personally.
• Surprise inspections and flag marches have also been planned across various districts to instil confidence among the citizens and deter the miscreants, officials said.

(With agency inputs)