Indians across the world marked the country’s 80th Independence Day on Saturday, with celebrations held at Indian missions and within diaspora communities from the Pacific islands and East Asia to Europe, the Gulf and the Americas. The events featured flag-hoisting ceremonies, renditions of the national anthem and “Vande Mataram”, cultural performances, community gatherings and other activities, with local governments and communities joining in at some places.
Alongside the celebrations, several of India’s key partners, including the US, the UK, France, Russia and Iran, sent greetings and reaffirmed their commitment to stronger ties with New Delhi. At the centre of the day’s events was the “Suryapath Tiranga” initiative, under which the Tricolour was hoisted successively at Indian missions across time zones, beginning in Fiji and scheduled to culminate in San Francisco, as part of the wider “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign.
In Wellington, more than 500 members of the Indian diaspora and local friends joined the celebrations. High Commissioner Muanpuii Saiawi hoisted the Tricolour and read the President’s address to the nation, while those present sang “Vande Mataram” and the national anthem. Members of the diaspora also took part in cultural programmes, and winners of painting, photography and other competitions were felicitated in several countries. Students and community members joined the “Har Ghar Tiranga” selfie campaign. In Tokyo, school students and members of the Indian community presented patriotic songs in memory of those who fought for India’s independence, and the Indian mission said Japanese media carried special coverage of the occasion. In Beijing, Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami hoisted the Tricolour in the presence of members of the Indian community and “friends of India”, who braved the rain to attend the event. The embassy had also invited members of the diaspora to join the “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign by hoisting the national flag, taking selfies and sharing their celebrations.
In Moscow, the celebrations began with floral tributes at the Mahatma Gandhi statue, followed by a collective singing of “Vande Mataram”. Members of the Indian diaspora, “friends of India” in Russia, embassy officials and their families attended the programme, which also featured cultural performances and a bike rally organised by the Indian community. In Berlin, the celebrations included a musical presentation by Sankalita Mandal on vocals, Kanishka Sarkar on keyboard, David Beck on guitar and Chandra Bahadur Sunar on sitar, drawing on Rabindrasangeet, Indian classical music and contemporary influences. The mission also highlighted a rendition of “Vaishnava Jan To” by The Karthik Mani Project and a German jazz trio led by Jakob Manz at Berlin’s Konzerthaus as part of Young Euro Classic 2026. In Rome, a cultural programme and a rendition of “Vande Mataram” were among the highlights. In Geneva, more than 500 members of the Indian diaspora and “friends of India” attended the celebrations at the Indian mission to the United Nations.
Across the Gulf, community members joined cultural programmes. In Abu Dhabi, the embassy highlighted a celebration of “pride, unity and the spirit of a billion dreams”, with the Indian community taking part in the festivities. The Indian Islamic Centre also organised a painting competition celebrating India’s spirit of independence and the vision of a developed India. In Riyadh, the embassy held a cultural programme featuring a semi-classical dance on “Vande Mataram”, a group song by school students, patriotic poetry and a group dance paying tribute to the historic Dandi Salt March. The celebrations there also marked 150 years of “Vande Mataram”, and certificates were presented to performers and top scorers in the Independence Day special edition of the “Bharat Ko Janiye” quiz organised by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Indian missions in the United States also highlighted events involving local authorities and Indian-American communities. Across Northeastern and Midwestern states, proclamations marked India’s 80th Independence Day and recognised the contributions of the Indian-American community. Bergen County in New Jersey hosted celebrations that brought together members of the Indian community, including youth and children. The Indian Embassy in Washington also thanked participants in a photography competition, saying each entry offered a personal view of India and reflected the participant’s connection with the country.
The celebrations were accompanied by messages from world leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the people of India on their 80th Independence Day in a message on X. Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the constructive bilateral partnership would help enhance international security and stability. He said Russia-India relations were developing successfully in the spirit of a “particularly privileged strategic partnership” and that Moscow and New Delhi were engaged in “fruitful cooperation” across a wide range of areas, while coordinating closely within the framework of the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS and other multilateral institutions. The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office also greeted India on social media. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian congratulated Modi and the people of India and described the occasion as an opportunity to deepen and expand longstanding bilateral relations. On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended Washington’s greetings, saying bilateral ties were stronger than ever because of the personal relationship between US President Donald Trump and Modi. Rubio said the deep ties of friendship and family between the peoples of the two countries formed the foundation of a partnership that was innovative, resilient and forward-looking, and that bilateral collaboration was making both countries, and the wider Indian Ocean region, safer, stronger and more prosperous.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said India had gone “from strength to strength” in the eight decades since independence. He described India as the world’s largest democracy and fastest-growing major economy and said its achievements and potential filled Australia with awe. Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu said eight decades of independence reflected the aspirations, resilience and enduring spirit of the Indian government and people, and reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to advancing its close partnership with India based on mutual respect, shared prosperity and enduring friendship between the two peoples. Israeli President Isaac Herzog wished India’s top leadership and the “wonderful people” of the country on Independence Day and said he hoped the friendship between Israel and India would continue to strengthen. Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, in a letter to President Murmu, said the two countries shared an “enduring interest in a peaceful, open, and connected region”. Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah extended “heartfelt greetings” to Modi and the people of India and said he hoped the deep historical ties, close people-to-people relations and cooperation between the two countries would continue to strengthen. Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay also wished the Indian government and people on Independence Day.
Across the world, the 80th Independence Day celebrations brought together the Tricolour, patriotic songs and community gatherings with local cultural programmes and the participation of the Indian diaspora and their friends, while messages from international partners underlined their continuing engagement with India.
With PTI Inputs
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