Modi leads India’s 11th International Yoga Day in Vizag under “Yoga for One Earth, One Health” theme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated this year’s International Yoga Day celebrations along a 26-km stretch from Vizag’s RK Beach to Bheemili on June 21, with over three lakh participants joining a synchronized morning session featuring the Common Yoga Protocol..

Over 2 crore people tuned in at more than 1 lakh locations nationwide, including events at Delhi’s Red Fort and rural venues supported by YogAndhra, Vizag’s month‑long state campaign on yoga.

Modi urged yoga practitioners to adopt “Yoga for Humanity 2.0,” suggesting inner peace should guide global wellbeing and policymaking. He described yoga as “the pause button that humanity needs to breathe, balance, and become whole again,” especially in a world beset by conflict and uncertainty.

The celebrations featured a landmark display: around 11,000 Eastern Naval Command personnel, plus sailors aboard six naval and two coast guard ships offshore, performed yoga on deck—symbolizing solidarity between civilians and defence forces.

State authorities implemented extensive security arrangements, including deployment of over 10,000 personnel, 1,200 CCTV cameras, drone surveillance, and a multi-tier control room setup to ensure the large-scale event’s safety.

Modi’s remarks emphasized the connection between individual, planetary, and societal health, reflecting this year’s theme and India’s global vision of One Earth, One Health.

He also referenced India’s successful UN resolution in 2014 that established June 21 as International Yoga Day, noting that “175 countries stood with us” within a year.