Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 79th Independence Day address from the Red Fort, announced the launch of the High-Power Demography Mission, citing concerns over demographic changes in India’s border regions and calling them a threat to national security.
Warning against what he described as a “well-planned conspiracy,” PM Modi accused infiltrators of taking away livelihoods from Indian youth, targeting women, and misleading tribal communities to capture their land. “This will not be tolerated… No country can hand over its border areas to infiltrators,” he asserted.
Highlighting the security implications of demographic shifts in sensitive regions, the Prime Minister said the mission will work to safeguard border populations and prevent illegal encroachments that could destabilize the nation’s security framework.
Earlier, PM Modi hoisted the tricolour at the Red Fort and was received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS Sanjay Seth, and the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, followed by a ceremonial guard of honour led by Wing Commander Arun Nagar.
This year’s Independence Day celebrations saw around 5,000 special guests, including the Indian contingent for the Special Olympics 2025, international sports medal winners, Khelo India Para Games gold medallists, and top-performing farmers from the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission.
For the first time, over 140 band performances by the Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, NCC, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, BSF, IDS, RPF, and Assam Rifles were scheduled nationwide to celebrate the victory of Operation Sindoor and promote patriotic spirit.