Narendra Modi delivers longest-ever Independence Day speech by an Indian PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday delivered his longest Independence Day speech at 98 minutes as he addressed the country from the ramparts of historic Red Fort. Modi's Independence Day speeches average at 82 minutes longer than any other prime minister in India's history. His longest I-day speech before Thursday was 96 minutes in 2016 while his shortest speech was in 2017 when he spoke for around 56 minutes. On the 78th Independence Day, Modi also became the prime minister to hoist the tricolour on Independence Day and deliver a speech for the third highest time. Modi delivered his first Independence Day speech in 2014, which lasted for 65 minutes. His speech in 2015 lasted for about 88 minutes. This was Modi's 11th address as PM and his first after taking charge for a third term. In 2018, Modi addressed from the ramparts of the Red Fort for 83 minutes. Subsequently, in 2019, he spoke for nearly 92 minutes, which was his second-longest to date. In 2020 Modi's I-day addr