Independence Day 2020 live updates: President Ram Nath Kovind hosts 'At Home' reception

Sonia Gandhi alleged that "the present government, it seems, is standing contrary to democratic system, constitutional values and established traditions. These are also testing times for Indian democracy". "Is there freedom in the country today to write, to speak, to ask questions, to disagree, to have views, to seek accountability?" she asked

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked the foreign ministers of Israel, Russia, Bhutan, the Maldives, Lithuania and Latvia on Saturday for their wishes on India's 74th Independence Day.

The delimitation exercise is going on in Jammu and Kashmir under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge. As soon as the delimitation process is over, elections will be conducted, PM Modi said. The delimitation exercise will be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the JK Reorganisation Act of 2019 that split the state into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir with an assembly and Ladakh without an assembly. Delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir will be based on the Census of 2011 due to an amendment in the JK Reorganisation Act.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled an ambitious National Digital Health Mission under which every Indian will get a health ID that will ease access to medical services. The health ID will contain information about medical data, prescriptions and diagnostic reports and summaries of previous discharge from hospitals for ailments. The Mission is expected to bring efficiency and transparency in healthcare services in the country.

"We have set up a committee to deliberate on the minimum age for marriage of our daughters. We will take appropriate decisions after the committee submits its report," PM Modi said in his Independence day speech. Discussing the role of women in the forces, the prime minister said India is among the countries of the world where women are involved in combat roles in the Navy and the Air Force.

From launching projects to conserve Gangetic dolphins and Asiatic lions to making Ladakh carbon neutral, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his government's plans in the kitty for the protection of the environment on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that the project to connect India's over six lakh villages with optical fibre network will be completed in the next 1,000 days. Besides, a high speed internet connectivity via submarine optical fibre cable will be extended to Lakshadweep in this period, he said. In the last five years, 1.5 lakh village panchayats have been connected with optical fibre cable, Modi said.

"Our sincere congratulations to the people of India, PM Narendra Modi, EAM S Jaishankar, colleagues at Ministry of External Affairs, Embassy of India in Russia and Consulate General of India, Vladivostok on IndependenceDay," Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted.