Jaishankar hoists Tricolour on India's 80th Independence Day, thanks global counterparts
Synopsis
On India's 80th Independence Day, EAM S. Jaishankar hoisted the Tricolour at his New Delhi residence while foreign ministers from Australia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Nepal — all posting personally on X — sent warm wishes directly to him. The public, personalised outreach from four strategically vital partners in a single day is a quiet but telling measure of India's diplomatic standing.
Key Takeaways
Jaishankar hoisted the Tricolour at his New Delhi residence on 15 August 2025 , marking India's 80th Independence Day .
Foreign ministers from Australia , Singapore , Sri Lanka , and Nepal extended Independence Day greetings personally addressed to Jaishankar on X.
Australian FM Penny Wong said 'Australia and India have never been closer,' underscoring the deepening bilateral partnership.
Sri Lankan FM Vijitha Herath and Nepal's FM Shishir Khanal both highlighted civilisational and people-to-people ties between their nations and India.
Singapore FM Vivian Balakrishnan described Jaishankar as a 'close friend' and pledged to strengthen the India-Singapore partnership.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar hoisted the national flag at his residence in New Delhi on 15 August 2025, marking India's 80th Independence Day. The ceremony, during which the National Anthem was played and those present stood to attention, was accompanied by an outpouring of diplomatic goodwill, with foreign ministers from Australia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Nepal extending warm greetings to India on the national occasion.
Australian FM Highlights Deepening Bilateral Ties
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong conveyed her wishes, underscoring the growing closeness between the two nations. 'On the 80th anniversary of India's independence, I send my best wishes to Dr S Jaishankar, the people of India and Indian Australian communities. As two countries committed to a peaceful, stable and prosperous region, Australia and India have never been closer,' Wong posted on X.
Responding to her message, Jaishankar expressed gratitude for the warm wishes, reflecting the robust momentum in the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Sri Lanka and Nepal Reaffirm Civilisational Bonds
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath took to X to extend congratulations, expressing hope for a further deepening of the long-standing and multifaceted partnership between India and Sri Lanka. 'Extend my warmest congratulations to Minister of External Affairs, H.E. Dr S Jaishankar, and to the Government and people of India on the happy occasion of India's 80th Independence Day. Look forward to further strengthening the enduring friendship and multifaceted partnership between our two countries,' Herath wrote.
Nepal's Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal similarly posted on X, highlighting the deep historical and civilisational ties between the two neighbours. 'Nepal and India share deep historical and civilisational ties, close people-to-people relations and a multifaceted partnership. May these bonds continue to grow even stronger in the days ahead,' Khanal said, also directing his wishes personally to Jaishankar.
Singapore FM Underlines Enduring Friendship
Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan added his voice to the chorus of goodwill, describing Jaishankar as a 'close friend' and pledging to strengthen bilateral ties. 'Warmest wishes to my close friend Dr S Jaishankar and the people of India on your 80th Independence Day. Singapore and India share a deep and longstanding friendship, and I look forward to strengthening our partnership in the years ahead,' Balakrishnan posted on X.
Significance of the Diplomatic Outreach
The Independence Day greetings from four strategically significant neighbours and partners — spanning South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific — reflect India's expanding diplomatic footprint under its Neighbourhood First and Act East policies. Notably, all four foreign ministers chose to post their wishes publicly on X, personally addressed to Jaishankar, signalling the strength of individual diplomatic relationships alongside institutional ties.
As India enters its 81st year of independence, these exchanges point to a foreign policy environment marked by active bilateral engagement across multiple regions simultaneously.
Point of View
South Asia, and Southeast Asia — chose to post Independence Day wishes personally addressed to Jaishankar on X, rather than issuing generic government statements, reflects the premium India's diplomatic corps has placed on relationship-building at the individual level. This is consistent with a broader pattern: India's foreign policy under Jaishankar has increasingly personalised bilateral ties, using the minister's own public profile as a diplomatic instrument. What mainstream coverage tends to miss is that the geography of these four nations — Australia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal — maps almost perfectly onto India's two most active foreign-policy doctrines, Neighbourhood First and Act East. That all four engaged simultaneously on a single national occasion is less coincidence than choreography.
NationPress
15 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did EAM Jaishankar hoist the national flag on Independence Day 2025?
EAM S. Jaishankar hoisted the Tricolour at his official residence in New Delhi on 15 August 2025, marking India's 80th Independence Day. The National Anthem was played during the ceremony, with those present standing to attention.
Which foreign ministers wished India on its 80th Independence Day?
Foreign ministers from four countries — Penny Wong of Australia, Vivian Balakrishnan of Singapore, Vijitha Herath of Sri Lanka, and Shishir Khanal of Nepal — extended Independence Day greetings to India, all posting their wishes personally addressed to EAM Jaishankar on X.
What did Australian FM Penny Wong say about India-Australia ties?
Penny Wong posted on X that 'Australia and India have never been closer,' highlighting their shared commitment to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region. She directed her wishes to Jaishankar, the people of India, and Indian-Australian communities.
What did Nepal's FM Shishir Khanal say about India-Nepal relations?
Shishir Khanal emphasised the deep historical and civilisational ties, close people-to-people relations, and multifaceted partnership between Nepal and India, expressing hope that these bonds would grow stronger in the days ahead.
Why is diplomatic outreach on Independence Day significant for India?
Public, personally addressed Independence Day greetings from foreign ministers of strategically important nations reflect the depth of India's bilateral relationships. The four countries — Australia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Nepal — align with India's Neighbourhood First and Act East foreign policy priorities.
