PM Modi wore a striking red tie-and-dye turban featuring yellow, green and white patterns for Independence day. NEW DELHI: To mark India’s 80th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the Red Fort on Saturday wearing a striking red tie-and-dye turban with a long trailing end, as he delivered his 13th consecutive Independence Day address from the historic ramparts.

The turban featured intricate red, green and white patterns, reflecting styles associated with Rajasthani and Gujarati traditions. He paired it with a white kurta-pajama and a brown jacket, completing the look with three pocket squares in saffron, white and green—the colours of the national flag.

For more than a decade, PM Modi’s Independence Day appearances at the Red Fort have featured a closely watched visual tradition: the turban. Since his first address as Prime Minister in 2014, he has chosen safas and turbans in a wide range of colours, patterns and regional styles, often bringing India’s rich textile heritage and craftsmanship into focus.

From Rajasthan’s bandhej and leheriya to tricolour-inspired designs, his choice of headgear has evolved from year to year while retaining its traditional character. 2025: Saffron takes centre stageFor the 79th Independence Day, Modi opted for an all-saffron safa, paired with a white kurta and churidar, a saffron bandhgala jacket and a tricolour stole.

2024: A wave of RajasthanIn 2024, Modi chose a leheriya-print turban featuring bold orange, dark green and yellow streaks, with a long, deeply pleated tail. Leheriya is a traditional Rajasthani tie-dye textile known for its wave-like patterns, inspired by the movement of desert winds..

2022: A tricolour-inspired turbanIn 2022, Modi aligned his Independence Day attire with the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, wearing a white turban decorated with saffron and green stripes. He paired it with a white kurta-churidar and a baby-blue Nehru jacket.

2021: Saffron, red and a flowing trailDuring the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, Modi wore a saffron turban featuring bold red patterns and a long pink trail. He paired it with a white kurta, fitted churidar, deep blue jacket and a white scarf edged with a saffron border.

2020: A safa doubling as a maskAt the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Modi chose a saffron-and-cream turban with an extended tail. He wore it with a white kurta and churidar, along with an orange-and-white stole that also served as a protective face covering.