Archive · 15 Aug 2026
PM Modi Sports Red Tie-Dye Turban for 80th Independence Day
Every year on August 15, India celebrates Independence Day, the day the country became free.
On this special day, the Prime Minister gives a big speech from an old fort in New Delhi called the Red Fort.
In 2026, India celebrated its 80th Independence Day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore a special red turban made with a tie-and-dye method for his speech.
The turban is a cloth head covering, and people in the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat often wear this style.
He also wore a white shirt, a chocolate-brown vest and three pocket squares in saffron, green and white — the same colours as India's flag.
Mr. Modi has worn a different special turban on Independence Day every year since 2014.
His turbans help show off India's old traditions of dyeing and weaving cloth.
Some news reports disagree about what he wore in a few earlier years, but they all agree that this year's turban was red and tie-dyed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore a traditional red tie-and-dye turban for his 13th consecutive Independence Day address from the Red Fort in New Delhi.
The 2026 outfit for India's 80th Independence Day paired the turban with a white kurta, a chocolate-brown vest and saffron, green and white pocket squares.
The turban style is commonly associated with the textile and turban cultures of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Modi's turban tradition began in 2014 with a red Jodhpuri Bandhej turban, and in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he wore a white-and-saffron stole as a face covering.
Reports differ on some earlier years, such as whether 2025's turban was all-saffron or leheriya and whether 2022's design was flag-inspired or saffron.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India
- What
- Wore a traditional red tie-and-dye turban while delivering his 13th consecutive Independence Day address from the Red Fort
- When
- August 15, 2026, on India's 80th Independence Day
- Where
- The historic Red Fort in New Delhi, India
- Why
- To mark India's 80th Independence Day and continue his tradition of showcasing India's regional textile and turban craftsmanship
- Event
- 80th Independence Day of India
- Date
- August 15, 2026
- Location
- Red Fort, New Delhi
- Speaker
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Address milestone
- 13th consecutive Independence Day address
- Turban
- Red tie-and-dye, common in Rajasthani and Gujarati culture
- Outfit
- White kurta, chocolate-brown vest and saffron, green and white pocket squares
- Tradition began
- 2014, with a red Jodhpuri Bandhej turban
Sources
For 80th Independence Day, PM Modi Picks Red Tie-And-Dye Turban
From 2014 Red Bandhej to 2026 Red Tie-Dye: PM Modi’s Independence Day Turban Tradition
From Bandhej To Leheriya: PM Modi’s Independence Day Turbans Reflect A Decade Of Tradition
