New Delhi, August 15, 2025 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again made history—this time by delivering the longest Independence Day speech by any Indian Prime Minister, clocking in at 103 minutes from the Red Fort on the nation’s 79th Independence Day.
With this address, PM Modi surpassed his own record of 98 minutes from last year (2024), and cemented his position as the most consistent Independence Day orator since India’s independence.
🔹 A Speech for the Records
This year’s marathon speech not only set a new duration benchmark, but also marked Modi’s 12th consecutive Independence Day address, surpassing Indira Gandhi’s record and standing second only to Jawaharlal Nehru’s 17 consecutive speeches between 1947 and 1963.
Here’s a quick look at Modi’s Independence Day speech durations over the years:
| Year | Duration |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 65 minutes |
| 2015 | 88 minutes |
| 2016 | 96 minutes |
| 2017 | 56 minutes (shortest) |
| 2018 | 83 minutes |
| 2019 | 92 minutes |
| 2020 | 90 minutes |
| 2021 | 88 minutes |
| 2022 | 74 minutes |
| 2023 | 90 minutes |
| 2024 | 98 minutes |
| 2025 | 103 minutes (new record) |
🔸 Modi Surpasses Historic Benchmarks
Before PM Modi, the longest recorded Independence Day speeches were:
- Jawaharlal Nehru (1947) – 72 minutes
- I.K. Gujral (1997) – 71 minutes
Meanwhile, the shortest speeches came from the earliest decades:
- Nehru (1954) – 14 minutes
- Indira Gandhi (1966) – 14 minutes
- Manmohan Singh (2012) – 32 minutes
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee (2002) – 25 minutes
🔹 More Than Just a Long Speech
While the 103-minute duration made headlines, PM Modi used the opportunity to outline a visionary roadmap for India’s future, touching on key themes like Operation Sindoor, Mission Sudarshan Chakra, GST reforms by Diwali, job creation, and the path toward a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047.
🟢 A Legacy of Leadership
With his 12th Red Fort address, PM Modi continues to blend historic symbolism with forward-looking policies, combining tradition with transformation. Whether one measures his speech by the clock or by its content, August 15, 2025, will go down as a defining moment in India’s modern political history.
Would you like this in a shorter format for social media or newsletter summaries?
