Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his Independence Day address by paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and celebrating the theme of ‘Naya Bharat’, which highlighted the success of Operation Sindoor, India’s military response following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Modi saluted the Indian armed forces for their decisive action during Operation Sindoor and stated that Pakistan has “lost its sleep.” He emphasized that India gave its forces full freedom to respond to terrorism and warned that the country will not tolerate nuclear blackmail.
He declared that India would no longer allow “blood and water to flow together,” referring to the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty post-attack. This signaled a tough stance on cross-border aggression.
Reinforcing the idea of self-reliance, Modi said that India’s ability to execute Operation Sindoor was possible only because the nation had become more self-sufficient, and stressed that dependence on other countries is dangerous for national interests. Taking the narrative of self-reliance forward, he claimed to make India self-reliant in energy. He asserted that India is on track to launch its own deep water mission soon. The Prime Minister further spoke about the SpaceX-NASA-ISRO mission and applauded astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla. He said that now India is self-reliant in the space sector as well.
In an apparent reference to the tariff imposed by the United States, Modi said that India will not compromise on the interest of farmers, and will not accept any detrimental policies. “Farmers, livestock keepers, and fishermen are our top priorities. Any policy that threatens their interests, Modi is standing like a wall against it. India will never compromise when it comes to protecting the interests of our farmers,” he said.
He outlined major achievements in India’s clean energy goals, announcing that India had met its 2030 target of generating 50 percent electricity from non-fossil sources five years ahead of schedule, demonstrating the country’s commitment to climate responsibility.
Modi highlighted advances in space and energy, announcing plans for India’s own deep water mission and space station, noting that over 300 startups are now working in the space sector, showing growing self-reliance in science and technology.
He declared that Indian-made semiconductor chips would hit the market by the end of the year, with six fabrication units already operational and four more approved, pushing forward the Made-in-India initiative in critical technology sectors.
To address youth employment, Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, under which those getting their first private-sector job will receive ₹15,000 from the government, with the goal of supporting around 3.5 crore young people.
He said that major reforms to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be introduced by Diwali, aiming to substantially reduce taxes on everyday items and benefit small and medium-sized enterprises across the country.
He also touched upon the issue of alleged illegal migrants in the country. India will not allow infiltrators to grab land of tribals, Modi said. “Govt to set up a high-powered demographic mission to deal with the challenge of demographic change due to infiltration,” he added.
Modi warned against the rising issue of obesity in the country, calling it a growing national concern, and urged every family to take responsibility in addressing health and fitness seriously as part of the larger nation-building effort.
