To 2024 and beyond

India's future depends on addressing basic issues

Independence Day speeches by Prime Ministers from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Delhi have always served multiple purposes. They have laid out a policy pathway for the future, addressed specific ongoing political issues, and made a case for the incumbent government’s priorities and performance. Some, however, have been more political than others — often when a general election is looming on the horizon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech on Tuesday was unquestionably one of those speeches. He made a case for his government’s achievements since it was elected in 2014, and laid out three “evils” for