Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers nearly 90-minute address on 77th Independence Day

 He had delivered his longest speech of 96 minutes from the ramparts of Red Fort in 2016 and spoke for 92 minutes in 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the historic Red Fort on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day in New Delhi : PTI

PTI, New Delhi, 15.08.23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke for nearly 90 minutes in his 10th Independence Day address on Tuesday where he highlighted his government's achievements as well as various challenges and opportunities before the nation.

He had delivered his longest speech of 96 minutes from the ramparts of Red Fort in 2016 and spoke for 92 minutes in 2019. He gave his shortest Independence Day address in 2017 which lasted 56 minutes.

Addressing the nation on the 77th Independence Day, the prime minister urged fellow citizens not to lose the opportunity to realise the country's potential as the decisions and sacrifices made in this period will impact the country for the next 1000 years.

He started his speech at 7:34 am and concluded it at 9:03 am.

While it was his last Independence Day speech ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Modi exuded confidence that he will address the nation from the Red Fort next year to list out the progress on the promises he had made to the people.

Modi said that he sees India as a developed nation by 2047.

"The promise for change brought me here, my performance brought me here once again. The coming five years are of unprecedented development and a golden moment to realise the dream of India as a developed nation by 2047," the prime minister said in his speech.

"Next year, on August 15, from this same Red Fort, I will list out the progress achieved by the nation and laud your strength, your resolve and your success with greater confidence," Modi said.

Modi's Independence Day speeches have varied in duration over the years. Last year, the prime minister spoke for 74 minutes, while in 2021, he spoke for 88 minutes. The duration of his 2020 speech was also 90 minutes.

In 2015, it was 86 minutes. In his first Independence Day speech as a prime minister in 2014, Modi had spoken for nearly 65 minutes. He spoke for 83 minutes in 2018.