20,000 Security Personnel Deployed

The Delhi Police has detailed its elaborate security arrangements for the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, with approximately 15,000 to 20,000 security personnel from various agencies to be deployed.

The security personnel will include members from the Delhi Police's Traffic Unit, North District teams, and general security personnel, as well as paramilitary companies, commandos, and NSG teams. Additionally, over 1,000 CCTV cameras have been installed at the Red Fort and surrounding areas to ensure maximum security.

This year's Independence Day celebrations will also feature a special performance of Vande Mataram, which will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the first time. The national song will be performed immediately after the Prime Minister's arrival, followed by the unfurling of the national flag and the Prime Minister's address to the nation.

The Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, will be seated immediately after the Union Cabinet ministers at the celebrations, as per the Table of Precedence. The event will also focus on 'Yuva Shakti' and the contribution of young Indians to national development, with 19 medal-winning students from the 2026 International Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematical Olympiads being felicitated and seated on the ramparts of the Red Fort.

Around 5,000 special guests, including young innovators, entrepreneurs, startup founders, skilled workers, farmers, artisans, sanitation workers, and beneficiaries of various government schemes, have been invited to the celebrations. The event will also feature a unique display, with 2,500 NCC cadets and MY Bharat volunteers forming the words 'Vande Mataram' on Gyanpath opposite the Red Fort ramparts.

## What to Expect The Independence Day celebrations will begin with the Prime Minister's arrival, followed by the singing of Vande Mataram, the unfurling of the national flag, and the Prime Minister's address to the nation. An Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter will also fly over the venue, carrying a banner marking 150 years of the national song and showering flower petals over the gathering.

## Context The Independence Day celebrations come as the country marks its 80th year of independence. The event is expected to be a grand affair, with a focus on the contribution of young Indians to national development and the commemoration of the national song Vande Mataram, which has been elevated to a legal status equivalent to the national anthem.