Reforms a conviction for govt, not a compulsion or buzzword: PM Modi

Addressing the nation from the Red Fort, the Prime Minister called reforms a conviction for his government, while outlining India's growth, energy security and self-reliance push

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said reforms are a “conviction” for his government and not a compulsion or a buzzword, as he called for bigger ambitions and stronger resolve to build a developed India. 

Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, PM Modi said India had gained new momentum after years of being held back by an attitude of “hoti hai”, “chalti hai”, “ho jaega” and “dekha jaega”. He said a nation achieves its goals when it moves forward on the strength of its dreams, resolve and capabilities. 

PM Modi urged Indians to “dream big” and “pledge big”, saying bigger dreams expand people's thinking and broaden their vision, while firm resolve helps a country navigate difficulties and disasters. 

 

He said the world would be compelled to look at India differently when the world's most populous country becomes a developed nation. 

PM Modi highlighted India's economic and industrial progress over the past 12 years, saying the country had moved from being counted among the “Fragile Five” economies to becoming the world's fastest-growing major economy. 

He said the country's development had been driven by the resolve and capabilities of its 1.4 billion citizens. Defence production has increased nearly fourfold, while production in the khadi and village industries sector has risen nearly fivefold and electronics manufacturing nearly sevenfold, he said. 

Modern railway coach production has increased 21 times and mobile phone production 33 times over the period, PM Modi said. He also highlighted a 100-fold increase in digital transactions.

PM Modi unveils ‘Shakti ki Sapt Dhara’ roadmap for Viksit Bharat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, unveiled a seven-point development roadmap, which he termed “Shakti ki Sapt Dhara”, for achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat. The seven areas are manufacturing; agriculture and food processing; technology and innovation; Gati-Shakti; Raksha Shakti; the green and blue economy; and India's soft power.  The prime minister said manufacturing must focus on competitive costs, quality and scale to meet global standards, while Indian agriculture and food processing products should be developed into global brands. He also stressed digital and communication technologies, seamless connectivity, next-generation defence technologies, including drones and supersonic technology, and India's strengths in Yoga, Ayurveda, holistic health, creative resources and tourism. 

The prime minister said India must strengthen its own capabilities and reduce dependence on other countries to protect its national interests. He urged citizens to support Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, Swadeshi and Vocal for Local. He also highlighted energy security, saying India is targeting 200 GW of nuclear energy and is setting up five new nuclear reactors. The country has also crossed an important milestone by mastering fast breeder nuclear technology, he said. The prime minister added that piped gas is now reaching 17.5 million households, while more than 5 million households are covered by solar energy. He also said offshore areas earlier restricted for oil and natural gas exploration are now being opened up. 

PM Modi called for stronger energy security and more nuclear power capacity, saying India had turned “no-go areas” into “go-ahead areas”. He said the country needed to expand nuclear power as part of its efforts to secure its energy needs. 

PM Modi also highlighted India's progress in nuclear technology, saying the country had crossed an important milestone this year by mastering fast breeder nuclear technology. He described the achievement as a major step towards self-reliance in nuclear fuel. 

On semiconductors, PM Modi said India would see five to seven new semiconductor plants being established over the next seven to eight years. 

“Countries do not always stop because of a lack of resources, but often because of limitations in thinking,” PM Modi said, stressing the need to expand India's ambitions and recognise its capabilities. 

The Prime Minister also expressed solidarity with families affected by floods and landslides in different parts of the country. He said the government and the entire country stood with those affected and assured them of support during the difficult period.

PM Modi also noted the historic significance of Vande Mataram being heard at the Red Fort on August 15, saying it was the first such occasion since Independence. The occasion was particularly significant as India is marking 150 years of Vande Mataram.

PM Modi announce free coaching for youth, sets various targets

The prime minister announced an AI training scheme aimed at training 10 million youth in one year and free online coaching for young people. He said India is a strong contender to host the 2036 Olympics and announced a nationwide talent hunt to identify sporting potential among children aged 5-15 and provide them with training and support. PM Modi also urged young people to participate in the ongoing Census exercise and provide accurate family information digitally, saying their involvement would help make the process error-free and contribute to India's goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. 

The prime minister called for 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, describing it as the “call of the hour” and urging political parties to work together on the issue. He highlighted government support for farmers, saying urea that costs around ₹3,000 per sack in the global market is available to Indian farmers for ₹300, while DAP priced at about ₹5,000 globally is being provided at ₹1,350.  He also urged MSMEs to take advantage of opportunities created by recent trade agreements. For Indian businesses, PM Modi set ambitious targets, including having 50 Indian companies among the Fortune 500 in the coming decade, at least one Indian bank among the world's top five and at least one Indian pharmaceutical company among the world's five largest. 

The prime minister also called for isolating “dimaagi Naxals” and said India is prepared to face challenges both within and across its borders. He said the country has a stable political mandate, a stable government, a vibrant democracy, a strong judicial system and a Constitution that guides its development.