Read the full transcript of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks (translated to English) at 80th Independence Day from the historic Red Fort in New Delhi, August 15, 2026. [TRANSLATED USING SARVAM AI)
Tribute to Freedom Fighters and Vande Mataram at 150 Years
PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI: Fellow citizens, today we are all celebrating the 80th Independence Day. Today, the heartbeat of every heart echoes with the sound of “Vande Mataram.” Today, every home is the tricolour, every mind is the tricolour, and the country is moving forward with enthusiasm and excitement, with new resolutions. Many, many best wishes to all of you on Independence Day.
Today, we remember with reverence those great sons who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of the country. With their penance, sacrifice, and dedication, with the sole aim of freedom, they spent their entire lives in service of the nation. Today, I respectfully salute all the freedom fighters, including the revered Bapu, and the great revolutionaries who awakened the great tradition of sacrifice. Today, for all those present at this ceremony, it is also a historic moment — after independence, for the first time on August 15, “Vande Mataram” is echoing at the Red Fort.
As we, the people of this country, celebrate 150 years of Vande Mataram, what could be a greater occasion than this?
Solidarity with Flood-Affected Families
My dear countrymen, in recent days, some parts of the country have been affected by floods and landslides. Many families have been affected. We fully understand their pain and suffering. I assure the affected families that we, and the entire country, stand with them.
Big Dreams, Firm Resolutions
My dear countrymen, any nation becomes great and achieves its goals when it moves forward on the strength of its dreams, its resolutions, and its capabilities. We cannot live with small dreams anymore. We need big dreams, because big dreams broaden our thinking and expand the horizon of our vision. Our resolutions must be firm — when a resolution is firm, the ability to find a way through difficulties emerges within us. And our resolutions must also be high, because when dreams are high and resolutions are high, the height of our capabilities also increases. The height of our efforts also increases, and only then can we realize our dreams.
My dear countrymen, today India has also seen a very big dream — a dream seen with firm resolve, a dream to touch new heights. That dream is: when we mark 100 years of independence, in 2047, we will be a developed India. We have to achieve this goal through the efforts of 1.4 billion countrymen. And when the country with the largest population in the world takes a pledge to develop, it becomes a symbol of our courage in the eyes of the world. The world is forced to change its perspective towards us.
Twelve Years of Progress
Countrymen, I am not saying this lightly. In the last 12 years, crores of citizens of the country — Dalits, victims, the deprived, tribals, villagers, city dwellers, the poor, the middle class, youth, elderly, women and men, from North, South, East, and West — everyone has made every effort, with dedication, with a single resolve, to take the country to new heights. I respectfully acknowledge their efforts, and the result is this: in such a short time, 250 million countrymen have overcome poverty and emerged from it. It is the result of these countrymen’s efforts that, from being counted once among the “Fragile Five,” within 12 years we have become the fastest-growing major economy.
Friends, we became independent with many dreams, but we couldn’t gain momentum, we couldn’t pick up speed. It happens, it goes on, we thought — it will happen, it will be seen. We remained lost in that. By 2014, the whole world had already placed us among the “Fragile Five.” In such times, over the last 12 years, India has gained new momentum. We are moving forward at a fast pace, and the countrymen have resolved that now it is impossible to stop the resolve and strength of 1.4 billion countrymen.
Fellow countrymen, in the last 12 years, defense production has increased by almost four times. Khadi and village industries production has increased by almost five times. Electronic manufacturing has increased by almost seven times. The construction of modern railway coaches has increased by twenty-one times. Mobile phone production has increased by thirty-three times.
Not only that, keeping pace with the modern era, we have also raised our flag in the world of digital innovation. Internet users have increased by almost four times. The number of patent grants has increased by four times. Digital transactions have increased by a hundred times. We have worked with the same seriousness towards the facilities of the common man. Every year, on average, tap water connections have been provided 15 times faster. Every year, gas connections have been provided at a rate 6 times faster. Every year, toilets for the poor have been built at a rate 4 times faster. Every year, houses have been provided to the poor at a rate 3 times faster.
The country has also brought about many changes in governance. Thousands of compliances have been abolished. We abolished hundreds of old laws — the 21st century cannot march on the laws of the previous century. We expanded the metro for modern infrastructure. We strengthened public transport. The speed at which we worked, the scale at which we worked — this pace, this expansion, this achievement — the last decade has seen for the first time since independence. And when so many achievements are in front of us, and such a fast pace is visible, the strength of the countrymen is revealed every moment. The resolution to become a developed India in 2047 can never remain incomplete. All these figures testify that we are going to move forward.
The Path of Self-Reliance
My dear countrymen, for this, self-confidence is needed, self-respect is needed, and along with that, it is very important to have a self-reliant India.
In the past years, our conviction has been that we should no longer live by depending on other countries — we should become self-reliant. We get a lot in the world, we get it cheap, we can get it quickly, but that does not build our strength, nor does it test our strength. That is why we have to increase our capabilities and protect our interests ourselves. We are moving forward with a very firm resolution of a self-reliant India — Make in India, Swadeshi, Vocal for Local. In all these areas, today every Indian’s mind is aligned.
Semiconductors and Critical Minerals
My dear countrymen, I will give you an example of semiconductors. After the country became independent, there was talk of semiconductors in the world, and talk about it here too. But we could not take any big plan for semiconductors forward. What is the situation today? In today’s digital world, in today’s technology, we understand the importance of chips — in electronic goods, in medical equipment, in transportation. Chips are essential in everything, and without them, a situation has arisen where the world could come to a standstill.
That is why India has embarked on a major semiconductor plan towards becoming self-reliant. Three semiconductor plants have already started production, and I have been told that exports from there have already begun. I want to tell the countrymen that in the coming years, five to eight more semiconductor plants are going to start very soon. This is self-reliant India — it gives us the highway to move towards a developed India.
My dear countrymen, a similar discussion is going on about critical minerals. The entire technology ecosystem is dependent on critical minerals, and India is also engaged in securing itself in this area. We have launched the National Critical Minerals Mission. We have announced a critical minerals corridor. Agreements are being made with many countries, and many countries around the world are now starting to trust India regarding critical minerals.
Energy Security and Nuclear Power
My dear countrymen, like semiconductors and critical minerals, the importance of energy is also increasing as we move in the direction the world is moving. It is now difficult to run a new world without energy — be it AI or data centers, we will need large amounts of electricity. Energy security is the demand of our time, and that is why we have already taken strong steps, one after the other, in that direction.
A major medium of energy security is nuclear energy. We have passed the Nuclear Energy Act in Parliament and have decided on the path to move towards a new goal. By 2047, we are moving with the goal of 100 gigawatts of nuclear power. Within this decade, we are moving with the goal of starting five new nuclear reactors. This year, India has achieved a significant milestone by mastering fast breeder nuclear technology, and as a result, we have taken a major step towards becoming self-reliant in nuclear fuel.
Unlocking Our Own Resources
My dear countrymen, sometimes the country does not stop due to a lack of resources — the reason for stopping is the limitations of thinking. When thinking becomes confined within boundaries, we cannot even recognize our own potential. Today, the country has to depend on crude oil. This is due to our wrong thinking of the past. You will be surprised to know that we had declared 99% of our coastline as a “No Go Area.” We ourselves decided not to explore inside the sea. This was a poverty of thought.
We decided this could not go on, and we opened up that 99% from “No Go Areas” to “Go Ahead Areas.” Now we are inclined to explore even inside the sea and are trying to find new reserves. Last year, taking an important step in the same direction, we announced “Samudra Manthan.” Recently, we have decided to allocate ₹85,000 crore for this work and speed it up.
Expanding Alternative Energy
My dear countrymen, I said that it is very important for us to put all our energy towards alternative sources as well, and India is working rapidly in this direction. Before 2014 — 12 years ago from today — only 70 cities in our country had piped gas supply. In 12 years, we have expanded this from 70 cities to 700 cities. This is speed, this is expansion. Before 2014, hardly 20-22 lakh houses had piped gas. Today, the work of providing piped gas is being done in three-and-a-quarter crore houses. Twelve years ago, the capacity of solar energy in the country was only 2 gigawatts. Today, we have achieved the target of 160 gigawatts.
My dear countrymen, I would like to share another piece of information. We have focused equally on ensuring that the middle class and ordinary families in the country benefit from this. We launched the PM Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme, and today I am satisfied that in such a short time, we have crossed the figure of 5 million homes with solar energy, and it is progressing rapidly. As a result, the electricity bills of thousands of homes have become zero, and thousands of homes are earning by selling their surplus electricity. For this work, the government is providing ₹80,000 to each family.
Railway Electrification and the Hydrogen Train
My dear countrymen, you will be surprised to know this. The electrification of our railway system started in our country in 1925, but in the 90 years from 1925, only 30% of the railway was electrified. See our speed over those 90 years — just 30%. We have completed the remaining work within just one decade. 30% in 90 years, 70% in 10 years — this is how the work happens. Because of this, the diesel that we had to bring from outside has been saved. Our trains now run on electricity, and the environment has started to benefit.
My dear countrymen, we have not stopped here. We do not want to be left behind in the world. You must have heard the news in the past few days — India has also touched this new field of fuel. The country has started its first hydrogen-powered train, and I am happy that it is the longest and most powerful such train. India has also hoisted its flag in the field of hydrogen trains in the world.
Overcoming Global Crises
Fellow citizens, for the last 10-12 years, we have been continuously working to achieve the target of 2047, proving ourselves step by step. We never thought we would have to face so many difficulties along the way. In these 12 years, we have faced numerous crises. The global pandemic like Covid had put the whole world in worry — all systems had collapsed. As we emerged from Covid, news of war-like situations started to arrive. Everywhere, from Ukraine to West Asia, there was an atmosphere of tension.
And who knows how many soothsayers made announcements to scare the country, to keep the country terrified and worried. Some people find pleasure in spreading fear — “the vaccine will not be available,” “people will not survive Covid,” “nothing is going to happen.” When the West Asia crisis came, they said, “there will be no petrol at the pump, no gas, no diesel, no fertilizer” — spreading fear all over. Some people were enjoying scaring the people of India, terrifying them, drowning them in worry.
But the country has seen that the well-thought-out plans of the last 10-12 years have borne fruit, and despite such a big crisis, the preparations India had made, taking the mantra of self-reliance as our refuge, took us forward step by step. We did not anticipate this crisis, but at that time, all our preparations came in handy. Today, the country has gas, petrol, and urea. We are standing on our own strength, moving forward.
Shielding Farmers from Global Price Shocks
My dear countrymen, these crises in the world have affected everyone; we are not untouched either. The price of urea has reached ₹3,000 per bag in the world market. Even today, we are not forcing the farmers of my country to bear that burden — the government is carrying that burden on its shoulders, and the urea bag that costs ₹3,000 in the world, we give to our farmers for only ₹300. Not only that, DAP has reached ₹5,000 in the world market today, but so that the farmers of my country do not face any problem, we are still working to provide DAP for ₹1,350.
India’s Rising Global Standing
My dear countrymen, there was a time when, as I was talking about self-reliance, some people sitting in air-conditioned chambers were telling us what would happen with globalization. But the world is seeing that over the last decade, it seems the world itself has stopped talking about globalization. Every country in the world has turned inward towards its own priorities. Unfortunately, in this time of crisis, some, to show their strength, have played the game of weaponizing resources — petrol, diesel, fertilizers, medicines, technology, chips, and even land are being weaponized.
If we had not taken the mantra of self-reliance and walked in the right direction for these 10 years, imagine how difficult it would have been to face such challenges. Our preparations are continuously increasing.
My dear countrymen, on the other hand, today India’s global profile is rising. India is becoming a recognized and respected country in the eyes of the world. India has a stable political mandate, a stable government, a vibrant democracy, a strong judicial system, and we all have India’s Constitution to guide us. The world has started to recognize our capabilities, and that is why, after 2014, we have entered Free Trade Agreements with almost 40 countries.
Opportunities for MSMEs and Exports
Look — what a big opportunity has come! These trade agreements are a very big opportunity, and that is why I would especially like to tell my MSMEs that we should not miss this opportunity. We have to reach the world — everything from India’s products should reach the world market, whether it is our textiles, our machinery, or our medicines. We should not miss this opportunity, but we must surpass global parameters. We must give the world what it needs, at competitive prices, and with quality.
From Ludhiana in Punjab to Tirupur in Tamil Nadu, our textile sector can reach the world. Not only that, from Kerala to Gujarat, and from Tamil Nadu to Bengal — along our coastline, our fishermen brothers and sisters, due to these FTAs, have great potential for the export of our shrimp and seafood to the world. I would like to see us take advantage of this opportunity as we move forward.
Building on a Strong Foundation
My dear countrymen, the goal of 2047, of a developed India, stands on this strong foundation — the strength that the countrymen have shown over the last 10-12 years. A quarter of a century has passed, and the next quarter is extremely important for us. Now we cannot stop; our pace cannot stop. Our direction has been determined; we have to achieve it and sustain it.
That is why we have to change our work culture, and while changing it, we also have to change our thinking. The pace of work that was not achieved in five to seven decades, we have to achieve in the coming 5-7 years. I have faith in the youth of my country, in the young people, in the mothers and sisters, in the farmers, in the laborers, that we can realize this dream. That is why we also have to accelerate the pace of reform. Reform is not a compulsion for us — reform is a conviction. Out of conviction, we have embarked on the reform express, and we are going to move towards the next level of reform in the coming days as well.
Government, society, industry, producers, farmers — everyone has to reform their traditional systems, reform our thinking, reform our goals, and move forward with a definite direction.
The Seven Streams (Sapt Dhara) of National Power
Today, I would also like to remember the era when we knew, understood, and heard about India’s strength as the seven rivers. Now, to build a developed India, we need a new stream. Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I invoke the seven streams of power before the country. In the coming 5-7 years, we will give the country new heights and new momentum with the strength of these seven streams — something that has not happened in the last 5-7 decades — and we will build the strength to achieve new goals. Along with this, the strength of the country’s youth will be fully utilized in nation-building.
1. Manufacturing Power
My dear countrymen, we have to take the manufacturing sector far ahead. Along with increasing production, we have to make small parts as well as big products. We should have a complete value chain — we need components, and we also need complete manufacturing of finished products. From design to manufacturing, India has to become a reliable center of the global supply chain.
I want to emphasize three things to my brothers and sisters in the field of manufacturing: this is the opportunity of the times, and we should not let it go. We have to meet global standards in terms of cost, quality, and scale. Our factories should be competitive, our products should be user-friendly, our packaging should be attractive to the people of the world, and zero-defect, precision manufacturing should become our identity. Our identity in the global market should be based on credibility and quality — no compromise on quality. Our mantra should be quality, quality, quality. This will become our global brand value.
2. Agriculture and Food Production
My dear countrymen, the second stream of the Sapt Dhara is agriculture and food processing. We have to move forward in this direction. The world’s markets are now open to our farmers because of our FTAs, and we are getting a very big market. We have to reach there — we have to go from the field to the export market. Whether it is our traditional food, our millets, our spices, or our fruits and flowers — is there anything we don’t have? These should become global brands.
Our farmers will give strength to chemical-free farming, and demand for it in the world is going to increase further. If our agro products meet global parameters in every way, we will be able to reach the world easily.
3. Technology and Innovation
The third stream of the Sapt Dhara is technology and innovation. Today’s era belongs to AI, quantum computing, space, robotics, and data centers. A completely new field has opened up, and emerging technology is challenging us every moment. We should not let the country become a market for the world — we have to become a hub of innovation.
We have made our mark with UPI and digital public infrastructure, and we have put our strength to the test. Now we have to take India’s digital public technology to every corner of the world. We have to lead in next-generation communication technology — Made in India 6G should reach every corner. This should be our goal, and we should speed up our efforts towards it.
4. Gati Shakti (Momentum)
The fourth stream of the Sapt Dhara is Gati Shakti. This momentum requires us to emphasize seamless, fast connectivity within the country. We need to connect cities with high-speed rail, we need modern highways, we need inland waterways, we need airports, and we need multimodal logistics. Our ports need to be more than just places to unload and operate goods — we don’t want world ships to simply anchor here; we need to move our ports towards port-led development and growth.
5. Defense Strength
Our fifth stream is defense strength. It is important to become self-reliant in defense in every way. India has experienced it, the world has experienced it — there is no other option. While the world thinks only of itself, India cannot remain a market for the world. We must become self-reliant in defense by developing next-generation defense technology and move forward with the goal of becoming a global supplier.
We need to develop drone and counter-drone systems, and we need to take leadership in hypersonic defense technologies. Cyber security is also becoming a challenge for every home today — that too is a field of defense in which we can channel the potential of our youth for the country and the world.
6. Green and Blue Economy
Our sixth stream of the Sapt Dhara is the green economy and the blue economy, which also give birth to green jobs. We need to advance green hydrogen, renewable energy, energy storage, green mobility, and green manufacturing on a global scale. While the world keeps talking about global warming, we need to find solutions — India has embarked on a green movement with great potential.
India also has a great opportunity in the blue economy. We have a very long coastline, and there are great opportunities in fisheries, coastal tourism, and ocean technology — areas in which we can move forward.
7. Soft Power
My dear countrymen, our seventh stream is India’s soft power. Yoga has kept the whole world connected with India — it is becoming an energy for the world and a major reason for trust in India. India has centers of faith, India has Ayurveda, and through our holistic healthcare system, the “Heal in India” movement, we can carry our strength to the world.
Be it handicrafts, culture, our films, or our creative world — VFX, animation, gaming, digital content — India can show its standing in the creative world. We have to develop it as a global strength. India has given great strength to the Wave Summit, the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit, and it will introduce India’s soft power and creative world to the globe.
India has vast wildlife resources — we have more than 100 national parks. There is a lot of potential, but we are falling short in attracting foreign tourists. We have a chance to attract tourists from around the world through our soft power, and we will do this work in the times ahead. The world’s sports events are also a great attraction — why not host them in India? The events economy is growing, and it is an attraction for the youth of the country. Everyone in the world wants to hold their events on the soil of India at some point. This is a great opportunity, and we need to establish systems to harness it.
A Holistic Vision for Global Leadership
Friends, the purpose of these seven powers of the Sapt Dhara is not just progress in one sector. With a holistic approach, we need to work towards surpassing the scale of the goals and ambitions we are pursuing.
My dear countrymen, I want to connect the country’s power with the world. A country is not just a government — a country means every citizen is connected. We hear a lot about Fortune 500 companies. Why shouldn’t 50 of them be Indian companies? Why shouldn’t this be our goal? Today, the banking sector is flourishing — why shouldn’t India’s banks also be among the top banks in the world? India should have one of the top five banks globally.
In the pharma sector, we have done a lot of work, but the demand of the time is that one or two Indian pharma companies should also resonate among the world’s top five pharma companies. There are law firms, there are rating agencies — isn’t it the demand of the time that we now aim for global leadership? We have talent, we have capability, we have a long history, and we have command over languages. We should reach the world.
Why shouldn’t any of our consulting firms or accounting firms be among the top firms in the world? India’s technology companies should be at the forefront globally — this should be our goal. We should have brands that attract the world, brands that become the identity of our country and a destination for the world. We have to work in that direction.
For this, I want to tell the state governments and local self-government institutions — and it is also the responsibility of the Government of India — to accelerate the pace of our reforms. We have to develop our systems in line with the goal of 2047. We cannot be guided by the policies and regulations of the past; we have to formulate policies according to the dreams of the future. I am fully confident that by working hard on this path, we will achieve the dream of a developed India. The central government, state governments, and industry all have to move forward together, continuing to bring reforms — not out of compulsion, but out of conviction, to achieve our goal.
Empowering India’s Youth
My dear countrymen, when I talk about taking the country forward at a fast pace, who is the biggest beneficiary of all these efforts? The youth of my country. The youth have a very big role in the journey of a developed India, and they are also its biggest beneficiaries. That is why we have to take the goal of a developed India forward with the youth as our top priority.
Friends, a lot has happened in this direction over the last 10-12 years. Through the Startup India campaign, more than 2.5 lakh registered startups have been formed across the country. The Government of India has announced a ₹1 lakh crore Innovation Fund. I want to tell the youth of the country: come with your dreams, we will not let there be a shortage of resources.
New opportunities for research emerged, and cheap digital data empowered the youth of Digital India. If there’s cheap data anywhere in the world, it’s on Indian soil. We created Skill India as a national program, opened up the space sector, created the National Drone Policy, and created the Khelo India policy. There was no education policy for 35 years — we brought in a new one, and middle-class families have benefited from it.
Friends, from 2004 to 2014, there were fewer than 350 universities in our country. Today, within 10-12 years, about 650 new universities have been added, and we are reaching a figure of about 1,000. Before 2014, there were only 400 medical seats; today, there are almost 850 medical seats. Now, foreign universities are also coming to Indian soil, and our youth can get a foreign university degree right here in India.
We are working to attract young minds to technology from childhood, and that is why we have handed over more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs to young children, to inspire innovation and technology from an early age. Our youth have opened many avenues in startups — India’s private space startups, run by youth with an average age of 28 years, launched their first satellite and rocket successfully on their very first trial. Today, there are more than 2.5 lakh registered startups.
We recently held the AI Impact Summit. The expansion of AI is growing very rapidly, and from the Red Fort, I want to make an announcement for the youth of the country: we have decided that in the coming year, we will work to train 10 million youth in AI skills, so that the youth of our country have the ability to lead in the world of AI as well.
The Rise of the Bio-Economy and Electric Vehicles
My friends, the bio-economy is a new field. Before 2014, it was worth only ₹60,000 crore. Look at the wonders my country’s youth have done — when policies are right and goals are clear, they have shown their strength. The bio-economy business that was ₹60,000 crore before 2014 has reached ₹20 lakh crore today.
In 2009-10, only one-and-a-half lakh electric vehicles were sold in our country. In 2025-26, 2.5 million electric vehicles have been sold.
Aviation, Drones, and New Opportunities
My dear countrymen, the aviation sector is also moving forward very fast for my youth. New airports, new routes, and new employment opportunities are being created in maintenance and overhaul work, providing a large amount of skilled manpower with work in the country. We have achieved success in making Made in India airplanes — the Made in India Defense Transport Aircraft, the C-295, has already taken its first successful flight.
Drones have also done great work for the youth of this country. The Swamitva Yojana is being made successful in villages through drones. About 3.25 crore families have benefited from the Swamitva Yojana, and assets worth ₹140 lakh crore have been unlocked as a result, enabling people to get loans from banks and start their own businesses.
Free Coaching for the Middle Class
My dear countrymen, our middle-class families carry a very big burden — the competition of coaching classes. Every parent feels that if they do not send their child to a coaching class, they are failing their family. We are concerned about the thousands of crores of rupees spent by poor and middle-class families on this, and we want to save them from this burden, so that children can stay close to their families and be taken care of, without the financial strain falling on the household.
That is why we have decided to provide free online coaching for various exams for the youth. We have digital public infrastructure, excellent talent, and teachers. By combining these resources, we are going to build a complete network to provide free coaching to the youth of the country.
India’s Sporting Ambitions
My dear countrymen, I have always said, let those who wish to play, play. Today, India is making its place in the world of sports. Now, India’s national anthem is played on sports podiums; India’s tricolour flag is seen waving. The TOPS scheme has achieved great success. Khelo India Games, University Games, Winter Games, Beach Games, sports infrastructure, coaching, sports medicine, and sports nutrition — India is now moving forward on all fronts related to sports.
India’s performance in the world of sports is improving, and we are moving forward as a strong contender to host the Olympics in 2036. India is also going to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030.
My friends, in the world of Olympic sports, there are about 40 types of games and roughly 250 to 350 competitions. You will be saddened to know, my countrymen — I challenge you, I appeal to you, I want your help — that in these 250-300 competitions, India has no presence in two-thirds of the games. We don’t qualify. We have decided that for the Olympics in 2036, which we hope to host in India, we want to focus especially on the disciplines in which India does not play or qualify today. Three-quarters of the share is waiting for us, and India will emphasize this. For this, we also want to run a talent-hunt campaign.
If we need players for 2036, we need to focus on the youth of today — the sons and daughters aged 5, 10, and 15. A talent-hunt campaign will be conducted in every village, city, and school to find sporting talent in children aged 5 to 15. Once identified, they will be given special training to become good players for the country.
A Drug-Free India
My dear youth, addiction is becoming a major crisis for the country and its young people. A drug-free India should be our collective responsibility. For our bright future, our young generation should be strong, and our youth’s strength should be useful to our country. Recently, volunteers from My Bharat, NGOs, social and cultural organizations, and spiritual leaders of the country jointly decided on a 100-week program for a drug-free India. I want to tell every family to be a part of this campaign — join it, and help fulfill the dream of a drug-free India.
Eliminating Naxalism and Intellectual Extremism
My dear countrymen, it is very important to eliminate the decades-old challenges of the 21st century. Naxalism and Maoism have destroyed the future of millions of youth, snatching mothers’ sons away from them, ruining lives and shattering the dreams of every parent. This Naxalism had captured a large and populous part of India for four decades — at gunpoint, tearing apart the Constitution. In defense of the common citizens of the country, more than 3,500 of our police and security force personnel have been martyred — more than the number of soldiers who die in war. Our police personnel had to risk their lives so that the common man could be safe. This Naxalism had turned the earth into a land of blood.
In 2014, when you gave us the opportunity, we vowed that we would free the country from Naxalism. Today, I am happy that Naxalite-Maoist violence, even in its last breath, no longer has the strength to survive. We are moving towards completely eradicating it. In the very areas where Naxalites used to fire bullets, where the earth used to be stained with blood, today the tricolour of development, trust, and effort is waving.
But we are not underestimating this challenge — we need to be even more careful. For years, people with Maoist ideologies were ensconced in the corridors of power, even influencing policies through government committees as advisors. We have succeeded in eradicating the armed Naxalites in the forests and freeing the country from that crisis. But while the armed Naxalites are gone, the intellectual Naxalites are still looking for opportunities — searching for ways to spread violence and anarchy in society, resorting to various tactics to mislead people.
These intellectual Naxalites must be identified, they must be isolated, and the country’s young generation must be connected to the mainstream of nation-building.
Strengthening National and Civil Defense
My dear countrymen, it is our responsibility to create a safe India. Whether the challenge is within the border or beyond, India is ready for every situation. Today, the nature of war is changing. War is no longer fought only at the border — infrastructure like refineries, banking systems, and data centers are being targeted, and factories are being destroyed in new forms of conflict.
We had announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra last year, and work is progressing very fast. Today, our defense exports have increased by about 50 times, and our weapons are reaching nearly 100 countries. India’s prestige is steadily increasing on the global stage.
In these changing times, we need to strengthen our weaponry and increase the capabilities of our military forces. But along with that, we also need to prepare our citizens. The civil defense systems that developed in our country, in line with the wars of the last century, have become outdated. That is why I am announcing from the Red Fort today that we will build a vibrant network of civil defense in the coming days, familiarizing citizens with modern systems that can protect them from modern crises. We are going to create a very large voluntary civil defense force to help overcome modern challenges.
Celebrating the Power of Women
My dear countrymen, in nation-building today, the contribution of our sisters and daughters has become a great source of inspiration for all of us. Whether it is fighter jets or civil aviation, our daughters are at the forefront. Whether it is the sports field, our daughters are ahead. Whether it is admission to STEM education, our daughters are leading. Girls have emerged, showing the ability to lead the country’s army with great pride.
I recently visited a semiconductor plant in Sanand, where tribal girls from different corners of the country were working — girls from villages where they didn’t even know what a passport was. Those girls went abroad for training and came back to work in chip manufacturing, and the confidence they showed truly impressed me.
Today, we had set a goal of making 3 crore sisters “Lakhpati Didis,” and we have exceeded it. Now we are moving forward with the goal of making 6 crore Lakhpati Didis — meaning a very big change is coming to the rural economy through the power of mothers.
My dear countrymen, today, in Panchayats, Municipalities, and Municipal Corporations, a large number of our women are becoming public representatives, guiding the country, solving problems, and providing capable leadership. Keeping this in mind, we passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Act in Parliament. However, for one reason or another, this dream had fallen victim to the arena of politics for the past 40 years.
Today, I stand before all the political parties of the country, under the shade of the tricolour flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort, and I appeal to you: come forward and honor the power of our women as soon as possible. Our mothers and sisters should get 33% representation in the Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha, and contribute to shaping India’s policies. This is the demand of the time. I again urge all political parties: come forward, implement women’s reservation, and give rights to my mothers and sisters.
Social Security and Healthcare for All
My dear countrymen, the resolution of a developed India will only be fulfilled when development reaches the last person. Before 2014, only 25 crore people had social security cover. In the last decade, we have extended social security to 100 crore countrymen — a task that would have taken five to seven decades otherwise.
With the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, even elderly people of 70 years are now getting free medical treatment up to ₹5 lakh. Crores of families have benefited greatly from this, and because of the Ayushman card, ₹2 lakh crore that would have been spent on medicines and operations is being saved for poor and middle-class families.
A Call for Participation in the Census
My dear countrymen, today I need your help with a task, and I am asking all of you, especially the youth, to take the lead. Just one or two hours of your time will give great strength to the country. These days, census work is going on in the country. Counting alone doesn’t achieve results with just figures — policies and plans are made from its nuances, and the country prepares its roadmap for moving forward. That is why having accurate information is very important.
Sometimes the representatives who come from the government are in a hurry, and mistakes happen with spellings or details, which creates difficulties in getting the final results right. Now that technology is available, a decision has been made this time that you can fill in your own information for the census yourself, using your mobile phone. Later, an officer or representative will come to discuss it with you, but if you sit with your family and complete your registration digitally, there will be no mistakes in the details or spellings. The more accurate the information you provide, the more it will help the country move forward.
I tell the youth of the country: sit with your family members, understand the entire form, first fill it out on paper, correct any mistakes, and then upload it digitally. This will save the country’s time and resources for the right work, and that is why I urge the youth of my country to actively participate in this census exercise.
A Shared Resolve for a Developed India
My dear countrymen, I have spoken of the seven vital streams from the Red Fort. These seven streams will give the country great strength to move forward with self-respect and with the ability to achieve its goals. We have to keep eradicating the mentality of slavery every moment.
The dream of India that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose saw, that Baba Saheb Ambedkar saw, that Pandit Nehru saw, that Sardar Patel, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru saw, that Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee saw, that Bhagwan Birsa Munda saw, that Jyotiba Phule saw — taking inspiration from all of them, we move forward.
Come, let us reiterate this resolve: let the nation’s interest be above our own, and let duty be our identity. The time is ours, the opportunity is ours, the resolve is ours. Come, let’s turn dreams into resolutions, resolutions into capabilities, and capabilities into success. Let us make every step a step towards development. Let us join hands, mind to mind, staying connected to the goal — with one lamp, thousands of lamps will light up. Come, let us build a developed India together.
With this one feeling, many, many best wishes to all of you on this auspicious festival. Say with me — “Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram!” Thank you very much.
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