PM Modi's mega announcement: India to have a Chief of Defence Staff | Independence Day 2019 Updates

"It's genuine friendship", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as he greeted "my friend Prime Minister Modi" and the people of India on the occasion of its 73rd Independence day.

Posting a video on Twitter of his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Israeli Prime Minister said: "To my friend Prime Minister Modi and the people of India. Namastey! Happy Independence Day!

"The relations between India and Israel are like never before. It's not merely cooperation in so many fields, it's genuine friendship. Happy Independence Day."

The post also carried a line in Hindi wishing the people of India happy Independence Day.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday hit out at the Modi government during his Independence Day speech at the SMS stadium.

Gehlot attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying: "The country's economy is in bad shape due to faulty policies of the Central government." If economy gets worse, the state governments suffer, and hence it's quite normal for state governments to worry at this point of time, he added.

"Today, electricity is being supplied in each household, education and medicines have been made available and around 100 satellites are being launched at one go. All these developments have not come only after 2014," he said.

Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, the 34 year-old BJP MP from Ladakh who won many admirers for his powerful speech in Parliament supporting revocation of special status for Jammu and Kashmir and creation of separate Union Territory of Ladakh, on Thursday, danced in delight along with other Ladakhi men -- a video of which soon went viral.

The Ladakh MP also hoisted the Tricolour at the BJP office here and termed it Ladakh's "first Independence day".

Attired in the traditional dark brown 'goucha' -- Ladakhi dress for men -- and donning dark sunglasses, Namgyal along with senior party leader Ram Madhav and others hoisted the Tricolour in Leh.

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Pakistan on Thursday observed 'Black Day' on the occasion of India's Independence Day to protest New Delhi's move to revoke the special status to Jammu and Kashmir. 

Black flags were hoisted on roof tops and vehicles across the country to symbolise the protest.

Protest rallies were taken out in major cities, while seminars were organised at various places to highlight Pakistan's stand on the Kashmir issue.

The profile pictures of the Twitter handles of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Office, ISPR Director General, Radio Pakistan and many others were also blacked out in protest.

On Wednesday, Pakistan also observed its Independence Day as 'Kashmir Solidarity Day' to protest India's move to scrap the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories.

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BJP Working President and former Union Minister JP Nadda on Thursday unfurled the national flag at the party headquarters here and greeted the citizens of the country on 73rd Independence Day.

Besides Nadda, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP northeast Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari and several other senior leaders were also present at the party headquarters. 

Governor Satya Pal Malik hoisted the national tricolour at the Sher-e-Kashmir stadium here in the first Independence Day celebration in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of its special status.

After unfurling the flag, Malik inspected the parade of para-military forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Former Army chief General Ved Prakash Malik (retd), who was the army chief during the Kargil War has thanked PM Modi.

"Thank you PM Modi for announcing historic step of institution of CDS. This step will make our national security more effective and more economical. It will ensure better jointmanship and multi-disciplinary Acoordination. Salute," he tweets.

"India has much to offer. I know people travel abroad for holidays but can we think of visiting at least 15 tourist destinations across India before 2022, when we mark 75 years of freedom," says PM Modi

Let's make India a top class tourist destination, says PM Modi

Our priority should be a 'Made in India' product, says PM Modi, adding, we should encourage cloth and jute bags.

Can we free India from single use plastic? The time for implementing such an idea has come. May teams be mobilised to work in this direction. Let a significant step be made on 2nd October, says PM Modi​

"On 2nd October, let us work towards making India plastic free. Let us introduce single use plastic, we all need to work towards this," says PM Modi.

"Our forces are India's pride. To further sharpen coordination between the forces, I want to announce a major decision from the Red Fort -- India will have a Chief of Defence Staff- CDS. This is going to make the forces even more effective," says PM Modi.

"In the first 70 years of our Independence, we became a 2-trillion-dollar economy. But only in the last 5 years, between 2014 and 2019, we added 1 trillion dollars making India a 3-trillion-dollar economy," he says.

We want nationwide optical fibre cover; every house should have broadband connectivity and everyone should have distance learning education facility. We need to have a blue economy, says PM Modi

PM Modi reemphasises the idea of a five-trillion dollar economy, says it should be every Indian's dream

"India does not want to wait too long for incremental progress. A high jump is needed, our thought process has to be expanded," says PM Modi.

"Today, according to the needs of the 21st century, modern infrastructure is being set up. We have decided to invest Rs 100 lakh crore on the country's infrastructure," says PM Modi.

'Ease of business' has been a bridge to 'ease of living', which was our ultimate aim, says PM Modi

Every effort made to remove corruption and black money is welcome. These are menaces that have ruined India for 70 long years. Let us always reward honesty, says PM Modi

PM Modi bats for smaller families, asks families to assess if they can bear burden of giving birth to a child.

"The movement towards water conservation has to take place at the grassroots level. It cannot become a mere Government programme. People from all walks of life have to be integrated in this movement," says PM Modi.

"GST brought to life the dream of one nation, one tax. India has also achieved one nation, one grid in the energy sector," says PM Modi.

PM Modi cites Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar

"It is unfortunate, however, that so many people lack access to water even 70 years after Independence. Work on the Jal Jeevan Mission will progress with great vigour in the years to come," says PM Modi.

PM Modi tears into fearmongers, says we must question those who question abrogation of Article 370

"One Nation, One Constitution -- this spirit has become a reality and India is proud of that," says PM Modi

Five years ago, people always thought- ‘क्या देश बदलेगा’ or ‘क्या बदलाव हो सकता है’?

Now, the people say- "हां, मेरा देश बदल सकता है"

"The old arrangement in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh encouraged corruption, nepotism but there was injustice when it came to rights of women, children, Dalits, tribal communities. The dreams of sanitation workers were incomplete. How can we accept such a situation," says PM Modi

"Remember how scared Muslim women were, those who suffered due to practice of Triple Talaq, but we ended that. When Islamic nations can ban it then why can't we? When we can ban Sati, when we can take strong steps against female infanticide, child marriage, then why not this?" says PM Modi

Hum samasyaayon ko taaltey nahin hain, says PM Modi

In 2019, I see a 'Build India' chorus, says PM Modi

Today, when we are marking the 73rd IndependenceDay, many of our citizens are suffering due to floods in various parts of the country. We stand in solidarity with those who are affected by the floods, says PM Modi.

The NDA government has made strengthened laws to curb exploitation of children, says PM Modi

PM Modi stresses on medical education

PM Modi says he salutes the freedom fighters and hopes for peace and growth of the nation

In abrogation of Article 370, the dream of Sardar Patel has been fulfilled, says PM Modi

In 10 weeks of coming to power, we took key steps to fulfil aspirations of people, says PM; Cites decision on triple talaq, Article 370.

The Prime Minister begins his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort by conveying Independence Day greetings.

PM also conveys wishes on Raksha Bandhan.

PM Modi begins his address

Happy Independence Day, India!

PM Modi has arrived at the Red Fort.

PM Modi earlier paid tributes at Rajghat

Security has been beefed up.

Besides officers of the Delhi Police, security officers in plain clothes, snipers, National Security Guard (NSG) personnel, the Army and SPG commandos as well as ground to air surveillance have been deployed around the Red Fort. 

At least 80 companies of security forces (around 6,000 personnel) have been deployed at the Red Fort and the surrounding areas.

Delhi Police and Delhi Traffic Police personnel are spread out across the city to secure important places as well as for manning entry and exit points at "vulnerable locations". All high-rises, hotels, guest houses, markets and restaurants in Paharganj, Jama Masjid and the areas surrounding the Red Fort are under the police scanner.

According to sources, more than 1,500 CCTV cameras have also been installed near the sensitive places.

Delhi Traffic Police have put in place several traffic restrictions for the general public. The restrictions will be in place on Thursday as well.

An advisory has been put up on Delhi Traffic Police's Twitter handle with an elaborate map of the possible routes that can be taken. 

The Delhi Metro has not announced any change in its services on August 15, but there will be restrictions on entry and exit at some stations on the Violet Line. Parking areas, however, have been closed until 2 pm. 

SWAT commandos and NSG snipers have been deployed while for the first time cameras with facial recognition software are being used to secure the historic Red Fort.

Around 500 CCTV cameras have been installed around the venue, where ministers, bureaucrats, foreign dignitaries and common people will gather to hear the prime minister.

Army, paramilitary forces and 20,000 Delhi Police personnel have also been deployed. The roads leading to the Red Fort are under surveillance and police personnel are taking help of sniffer dogs to check vehicles in north and central districts of Delhi.

Security protocols have also been devised for the "At Home" function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

At both these places, visitors will have to pass through several door-framed metal detectors and they will be frisked with hand-held metal detectors. Baggage scanners have already been placed at all entry points at the Red Fort venue.

Special "spotters" are keeping an eye on parking areas and kite catchers will ensure a distraction-free event at the Red Fort on Thursday.

To identify suspects around the historic Red Fort, police are using cameras with facial recognition technology, while anti-drone detection system has been deployed to secure the skies.

Police have prohibited aerial activities, including paragliding, hot-air balloons and quadcopters, until August 15 around the Red Fort.
Any person violating the order will be liable for criminal prosecution, officials said.