Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made an unequivocal pitch for a "secular" civil code instead of the current framework which is "communal" and promoted "discrimination", and also for simultaneous polls, as he fronted the ruling BJP's manifesto promises for a uniform civil code and 'one nation one election'.

Rahul Gandhi, dressed in a white kurta suit, made his presence felt as he joined the ceremony, marking a significant moment in the political landscape.

Speaking from the Red Fort, Modi censured the current legal framework as a "communal civil code" that fosters discrimination and division along religious lines.

This year's address marked a significant moment, not only for its duration but also for the content and context surrounding India's 78th Independence Day celebrations.

People's concerns over natural disasters have been growing in recent years, PM Modi said in his Independence Day speech after floods and landslides have caused havoc in the country. He also added that India was the only country among G20 nations to have achieved its climate targets under the 2015 Paris Agreement ahead of schedule.

While PM Modi did not directly reference the recent rape and murder of a postgraduate doctor in Kolkata, his remarks were a reflection of the urgency of addressing such "monstrous deeds."

From improvements in the education system, to adding 75,000 medical seats in colleges in the next five years to G-20 success, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday listed out a number of promises and his government’s achievements in his speech on India’s 78th Independence Day.