New Delhi: Following the students protest last month over exam paper leaks across states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday focussed on Yuva Shakti’ in his speech on Independence Day.
From a seven-point ‘Saptdhara’ reform framework to a warning against a new threat that he called “dimaagi naxal”, PM Modi used his address from the Red Fort to highlight both the opportunities and challenges facing the country as it hurtles towards its goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
While highlighting India’s challenges, PM Modi warned of a new enemy – ‘dimaagi naxals’ (naxal mentality). The prime minister stressed that while the Naxals who took up arms have been eliminated, there were “dimaagi naxals” who were embedded in the corridors of power. “These ideological Naxals must be identified and isolated,” PM Modi said.
Delivering his 13th consecutive Independence Day speech, becoming only the second PM after Nehru to achieve the milestone, PM Modi also reiterated his ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ push, highlighting semiconductors, critical minerals and energy security as key areas.
One of the strongest political messages in the Prime Minister’s address was on women’s representation in policymaking. Amid the impasse over the women’s quota bill, PM Modi urged the opposition to set aside differences and ensure 33% reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies.
A major theme of PM Modi’s speech, which lasted for around 75 minutes, was the country’s youth, as he announced a slew of initiatives to win over Gen Z.
Training one crore youth in AI skills and free online coaching for competitive examinations were among the big-ticket announcements by PM Modi. The free coaching initiative, PM Modi said, was aimed particularly at easing the financial burden on poor and middle-class families.
“Youth will lead us towards a Viksit Bharat,” PM Modi declared from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
PM Modi also unveiled a seven-point ‘Saptdhara’ roadmap as a new framework for building a ‘Viksit Bharat’, drawing a parallel with the ancient reference to the ‘Sapta Sindhu’, or seven rivers.
PM’s ‘Saptdhara’ roadmap goes as under:-
1. Manufacturing power – The Prime Minister called for making India a trusted global hub for manufacturing, from components to finished products.
2. Agriculture and food – PM Modi called for taking desi products like millets, spices and fruits to global markets while urging farmers to make India a global food powerhouse.
3. Technology & Innovation – PM Modi identified AI, quantum technology, space, and robotics as areas where India must build capability and become an innovation hub, rather than merely a market for the world.
In a big semiconductor push, PM Modi said 7-8 plants are expected to be established over the next seven to eight years.
4. Gati Shakti – Fast connectivity across cities through high-speed rail and modern highways was the need of the hour, PM Modi flagged in his I-Day speech.
5. Defence Power – Self-reliance in defence was another clear priority, PM Modi said, coming weeks after India marked the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The Prime Minister called for becoming a global supplier of next-gen defence technologies, with focus on drones, hypersonic technology and cybersecurity.
6. Energy security – PM Modi asserted that India aimed to start five nuclear reactors in the next decade, citing the need to strengthen energy security. “Our goal is to achieve 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity,” he said.
7. Soft Power – Lastly, he called for leveraging yoga, Ayurveda, and India’s rich culture to boost the country’s global and diplomatic influence.
With the government’s backchannel talks with the opposition over the women’s reservation bill, which it has linked to delimitation, PM Modi used his Red Fort address to appeal for consensus. He urged parties to rise above politics and facilitate the implementation of the proposed 33% reservation for women in Parliament.
“Take the credit yourselves, but give our mothers and sisters their due rights,” PM Modi said in his message to the opposition. Notably, none of the leaders of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, attended the Red Fort ceremony.
In a sharp warning, PM Modi said some countries were weaponising resources and strategic sea routes. Citing the turbulent period during the peak of the Iran war, PM Modi underscored that self-reliance and diversification helped ensure India did not face petrol, diesel or LPG shortage.
“The world is busy weaponising whatever it possesses – petrol, diesel, fertilisers, medicines, technology chips. Even territory is being weaponised… Every nation has shifted towards a mindset of looking after its own interests,” PM Modi said.
Reiterating India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympics, PM Modi used the occasion to announce a nationwide hunt to identify young sporting talent aged between 5-15 years. “They will get special training to become world-class athletes,” the Prime Minister said. He highlighted that India hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games would be a stepping stone for the country to realise its Olympic dream.