Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the national flag and addressed the nation from the historic Red Fort on India’s 75th Independence Day.

Here are top quotes from Modi’s address: 

– During COVID, our doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, sanitation workers, scientists who were developing vaccines and crores of citizens who were working with a sense of service -all those who devoted every moment to serve others in this period, deserve our appreciation.

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– Indians have fought this battle (COVID) with a lot of patience. We had many challenges but we worked with extraordinary pace in every area. It’s a result of strength of our industrialists and scientists, that today India doesn’t need to depend on any other nation for vaccines.

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– The athletes who have made us proud at Tokyo Olympics are here amongst us today. I urge the nation to applaud their achievement today. They have not only won our hearts but also inspired future generations.

– We have taken a decision to observe August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, to honour the pain and sufferings faced by the people of India during the partition.

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– A time comes in the development journey of every country when that nation defines itself from a new end, when it takes itself forward with new resolutions. Today, that time has come in India’s development journey.

– Today, we have to pledge to make India energy independent before completing 100 years of independence. India has moved towards electric mobility and work is underway on 100% electrification of Indian Railways with the aim to becoming net-zero carbon emitter by the year 2030.

– Earlier, the government was sitting in the driver seat. Maybe it was needed at that time. But the time has changed now. Efforts have increased in the last 7 years to free the people from the web of unnecessary laws and procedures. Several unnecessary laws have been scrapped so far.