India, Aug. 16 -- From the Pacific islands and East Asia to Europe, the Gulf and the Americas, Indians joined celebrations with their friends and families, marking the country's 80th Independence Day on Saturday, as key partners including France, Russia and Australia extended greetings and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties with New Delhi.

The celebrations unfolded across Indian missions and diaspora communities around the world, featuring flag-hoisting ceremonies, renditions of the national anthem and "Vande Mataram", cultural performances, community gatherings and a range of activities.

At the centre of the global celebrations was the "Suryapath Tiranga" initiative, under which the Indian Tricolour was hoisted successiv...