India can't afford to remain stagnant at this juncture, says PM Modi

India cannot afford to remain stagnant at this juncture and it has to become self-reliant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday.

He was speaking after unveiling a 108-feet tall statue of Lord Hanuman in Gujarat's Morbi via video link on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.

"India cannot afford to remain stagnant today...We cannot continue to remain where we are. The global situation is such that the entire world is thinking on how to become 'aatmanirbhar'," Modi said.

"I would request the saints of the country to teach people to buy local products only. Vocal for local is the in thing. In our homes, we should only use things made by our people. Imagine, the high number of people who will get employment due to this," he added.

Foreign-made things may make us feel good, but it won't have the feel of hard work of our people, the scent of our mother earth, he said.

"In the next 25 years, if we just use local products, there won't be unemployment for our people," the prime minister said.