Read full text of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of 79th Independence Day:
My dear countrymen,
This grand festival of Independence is a celebration of the 140 crore resolutions of our people. This festival of Independence is a moment of collective achievements, a moment of pride, and our hearts are filled with joy. The nation is continuously strengthening the spirit of unity. Today, 140 crore Indians are adorned in the colours of the Tricolour. ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is fluttering, whether from the deserts, the Himalayan peaks, the seashores, or densely populated regions and everywhere there is one echo, one cheer: the praise of our motherland, dearer to us than life itself.
My dear countrymen,
In 1947, with endless possibilities and the strength of millions of arms, our country became free. The aspirations of the nation were taking flight, but the challenges were even greater. Following the principles of revered Bapu, the members of the Constituent Assembly fulfilled a most important responsibility. For 75 years, the Constitution of Bharat has been guiding us like a lighthouse. The makers of our Constitution—many learned and great leaders like Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan played a vital role. Our women too made significant contributions. Scholars like Hansa Mehta and Dakshayani Velayudhan played their part in strengthening the Constitution of Bharat. Today, I bow with respect to these makers of the Constitution, who guided and gave direction to the country, from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
My dear countrymen,
Today, we are also celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the first great personality of the nation to sacrifice his life for the Constitution of Bharat. His sacrifice for the Constitution, the removal of the wall of Article 370, and the realization of the mantra of “One Nation, One Constitution” have been our true tribute to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Today many distinguished guests are present at the Red Fort, members of village panchayats from far-flung areas, representatives of “Drone Didis,” “Lakhpati Didis,” sportspersons, and other eminent personalities who have contributed to the life of the nation. In a way, I am experiencing a mini Bharat before my eyes. And the vast Bharat is also connected to the Red Fort through technology. On this grand festival of independence, I extend my heartfelt greetings to my fellow countrymen, to lovers of Bharat spread across the world, and to our friends everywhere.
Friends,
Nature is testing us all. In the past few days, we have faced many natural disasters—landslides, cloudbursts, and countless other calamities. Our sympathies are with the victims. The state governments and the central government, working together, are fully engaged in rescue operations, relief efforts, and rehabilitation work.
Friends,
I see a special significance in today’s 15th August. I feel great pride that today I have the opportunity to salute the brave warriors of Operation Sindoor from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Our courageous soldiers punished the enemies beyond anything they could have imagined. On 22nd April, terrorists crossed the border and committed a massacre in Pahalgam, killing people after asking their religion, shooting husbands in front of their wives, and executing fathers in front of their children. The entire nation was filled with outrage, and the whole world was shocked by such a massacre.
My dear countrymen,
Operation Sindoor was the expression of that outrage. After the events of the 22nd, we gave our army complete freedom—let them decide the strategy, choose the targets, and select the timing. And our army accomplished something that had not happened in decades. Penetrating hundreds of kilometres into enemy territory, they reduced terrorist headquarters to dust and turned terrorist headquarters into ruins. Pakistan is still sleepless. The devastation in Pakistan has been so huge that every day brings new revelations and fresh information.
My dear countrymen,
Our nation has endured terrorism for many decades. The heart of the country has been pierced time and again. Now, we have established a new normal: those who nurture and harbour terrorism, and those who empower terrorists, will no longer be seen as separate. They are all equal enemies of humanity, with no distinction between them. Bharat has now decided that we will no longer tolerate these nuclear threats. The nuclear blackmail that has gone on for so long will no longer be endured. If our enemies continue this attempt in the future, our army will decide on its own terms, at the time of its choosing, in the manner it deems fit, and target the objectives it selects and we will act accordingly. We will give a fitting and crushing response.
My dear countrymen,
Bharat has now decided—blood and water will not flow together. The people of the country now fully understand how unjust and one-sided the Indus Waters Treaty has been. The waters of rivers originating from Bharat are irrigating the fields of our enemies, while the farmers and the soil of our own nation remain thirsty. This was an agreement that has caused unimaginable loss to our farmers for the past seven decades. Now, the water that rightfully belongs to Bharat will be reserved solely for Bharat, solely for the farmers of Bharat. The form of the Indus Agreement that Bharat has endured for decades will not be tolerated any longer. This agreement is unacceptable to us in the interest of our farmers, and in the interest of the nation.
My dear countrymen,
Countless people sacrificed their lives for freedom, they dedicated their entire youth, spent their lives in prisons, and embraced the gallows, not for personal gains but for the honour of Maa Bharati, for the freedom of crores of people, to break the chains of slavery, and with one emotion in their hearts—Dignity.
Friends, slavery made us impoverished, and it also rendered us dependent. Our reliance upon others kept increasing. We all know that after independence, feeding crores of people was a formidable challenge. And it was none other than the farmers of my country who, by toiling hard, filled the granaries of the nation. They made the country self-reliant in foodgrain production. For a nation, the greatest measure of self-respect even today is its self-reliance.
And my dear countrymen,
The bedrock of a Viksit Bharat is also a self-reliant Bharat. The greater a nation’s reliance on others, the more its freedom comes into question. Misfortune arises when dependency becomes a habit, when we do not even realise when we abandon self-reliance and become dependent on others. This habit is fraught with danger, and hence one must remain vigilant every moment to be self-reliant.
And my dear countrymen,
Self-reliance is not confined merely to imports and exports, or to rupees, pounds, and dollars. Its meaning is not so limited. Self-reliance is linked to our capability, and when self-reliance begins to diminish, capability too continually declines. Therefore, to preserve, maintain, and enhance our capability, it is imperative to be self-reliant.
Friends,
We witnessed in Operation Sindoor the marvel of 'Made in India'. The enemy had no inkling of what weapons and capabilities we possessed, what power was destroying them in the blink of an eye. Imagine if we were not self-reliant, could we have executed Operation Sindoor with such swiftness? We would have been plagued by worries over who might supply us, whether or not we would get the required equipment, and so on. But because we held the strength of 'Made in India' in our hands, in the hands of our armed forces, they carried out their valour without concern, without interruption, and without hesitation. The results we see today are the outcome of our consistent mission over the past ten years towards self-reliance in the field of defence.
Friends,
I wish to draw your attention to another subject. None can deny that the 21st century is a technology-driven century. And when it is technology-driven, a glance at history tells us that every nation which mastered technology scaled the heights of development, reached the pinnacle, and attained new dimensions of economic power. When we speak of various dimensions of technology, I wish to draw your attention to semiconductors. I do not stand here at the ramparts of the Red Fort to criticise any person or government, nor do I wish to. But it is equally important for the youth of our country to know. In our country, files related to semiconductors started moving 50–60 years ago. The idea of a semiconductor factory began then. My young friends will be shocked to know that today, semiconductors have become a global force—but 50–60 years ago, the idea was stalled, delayed and shelved. The very conception of semiconductors was aborted. We lost 50–60 years. Meanwhile, many countries mastered semiconductors and established their strength in the world.
Friends,
Today we have freed ourselves from that burden and advanced the work on semiconductors in mission mode. Six different semiconductor units are taking shape on the ground, and we have already given the green signal to four new units.
And to my fellow countrymen, especially the youth, and to those across the world who understand the strength of Bharat's technology, I say this—by the end of this very year, 'Made in India' chip, manufactured in Bharat by the people of Bharat, will be available in the market. Let me give another example. In the energy sector, we all know that we are dependent on many countries for petrol, diesel, and gas, we are spending lakhs of crores of rupees to procure them. It is essential to make the country self-reliant in energy.
We took up this resolve, and in the last 11 years, solar energy has seen a thirtyfold increase. We are building new dams to expand hydropower so that we may obtain clean energy. With Mission Green Hydrogen, Bharat is today investing thousands of crores of rupees. Keeping in mind the future of energy, Bharat is also undertaking major initiatives in nuclear energy. In the field of nuclear energy, 10 new reactors are progressing rapidly. By 2047, when the nation will complete 100 years of independence—the year we have set as the target for achieving the goal of a 'Viksit Bharat'—we are moving forward with the resolve to increase our nuclear energy capacity more than tenfold.
My dear countrymen,
Reform is a continuous process; reforms must be undertaken as per the demands of the times and prevailing circumstances. In the field of nuclear energy, we have introduced major reforms. We have now opened the doors of nuclear energy to the private sector as well; we want to combine our strengths.
My dear countrymen,
When the world today expresses concern over global warming, I wish to tell the world that Bharat had resolved to achieve 50% clean energy by 2030. That was our target for 2030. Look at the capability of my countrymen, look at their determination to fulfil the resolve of making Bharat developed—we achieved the 50% clean energy target in 2025 itself, five years ahead of schedule. This is because we are as sensitive towards the world as we are responsible towards nature.
My dear countrymen,
A huge part of the budget was spent on bringing petrol, diesel, gas etc. Lakhs of crores of rupees were wasted. If we were not dependent on energy, that money would have been used for the future of the youth of my country, that money would have been used to help the poor of my country fight against poverty, that money would have been used for the welfare of the farmers of my country, that money would have been used to change the conditions of the villages of my country, but we had to give it to foreign countries. Now we are working towards becoming self-reliant. To make the country developed, we are now moving towards ‘Samudra Manthan’ (churning of the ocean). Taking forward our Samudra Manthan, we want to work in a mission mode towards finding oil reserves, gas reserves under the sea and hence India is going to start the National Deep Water Exploration Mission. This is our important announcement to become energy independent.
My dear countrymen,
Today the whole world has become very cautious about critical minerals, people have started understanding their potential very well. The thing which did not receive much attention till yesterday has come to the centre stage today. Self-reliance in critical minerals is very essential for us too. Be it the energy sector, industry sector, defence sector or any other technology sector, today critical minerals play a very important role in technology and hence we have launched the National Critical Mission, exploration campaigns are underway in more than 1200 locations and we are moving towards becoming self-reliant in critical minerals as well.
My dear countrymen,
Every citizen of the country is seeing the wonders of the space sector and is filled with pride. And our Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the space station. He is also coming to India in a few days. We are also preparing for Aatmanirbhar Bharat Gaganyaan on our own in space. We are working towards building our own space station on our own. And I am very proud of the reforms done in space recently, more than 300 startups of my country are now working only in the space sector and thousands of youth are working with full potential in those 300 startups. This is the strength of the youth of my country and this is our trust in the youth of our country.
My dear countrymen,
140 crore Indians are working with full potential to fulfill the resolution of a developed India in 2047, when we will celebrate 100 years of independence. To fulfil this resolve, India is today creating a modern ecosystem in every sector and the modern ecosystem will make our country self-reliant in every field. Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, my appeal is to the young scientists of my country, to my talented youth, to my engineers and professionals, and also to every department of the government. Should the jet engine for our Made in India fighter jets be ours or not? We are considered the Pharma of the World. We are setting new records in the field of vaccines, but isn't it the need of the hour that we put more energy into research and development, we should have our own patents, we should research the cheapest and most effective medicines for the welfare of mankind, and in times of crisis, these should be useful for the welfare of mankind without any side effects. The Government of India has formulated the BioE3 policy. I request the youth of the country to come and study the BioE3 policy and take steps. We have to change the fate of the country and we need your support.
My dear countrymen,
Today is the era of IT, we have the power of data, isn't it the need of the hour? From operating systems to cyber security, from deep tech to artificial intelligence, everything should be our own, on which the strength of our own people is concentrated, we should introduce the power of their capabilities to the world.
Friends,
Today, be it social media or any other platform, we are working on the world's platforms. We have shown the world that our own UPI platform is surprising the world today. We have the capability; India alone is doing 50% of the real time transactions through UPI. This means power. Be it the creative world, social media or any of these platforms, I challenge the youth of my country, come, why don't we have our own platforms, why should we depend on others, why should India's wealth go out and I have faith in your capability.
My dear countrymen,
Just like we are dependent on the world for energy, it is the misfortune of the country that we have to depend on the world for fertilizers as well. The farmers of my country can also serve Mother Earth by using fertilizers properly. We are causing a lot of harm to Mother Earth by using it indiscriminately. But at the same time, I want to tell the youth of the country, the industry of the country, the private sector of the country, let us fill the reserves of fertilizers, let us find new ways and prepare our own fertilizers as per the requirement of India, let us not depend on others.
Friends,
The coming era is of EVs (electric vehicles). Now if we don't make EV batteries, we will be dependent. Be it solar panels or all the things required for electronic vehicles, we should have our own.
Friends,
I dare to say this because I have faith in the capabilities of the youth of the country and the faith is not just because they are the youth of my country, during Covid we were dependent on many things, when the youth of my country were told that we need our own vaccine, the country showed it by doing it. The Co-Win platform should be our own, the country has shown it by doing it. We have done the work of saving the lives of crores of people. The same spirit, the same passion we must give our all to become self-reliant in every sphere of life, to give our very best.
Friends,
In the last 11 years, entrepreneurship has gained tremendous strength. Today, lakhs of start-ups in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are strengthening the country’s economy and innovation. In the same way, crores of our youth including many of our daughters have taken loans through the Mudra Yojana to start their own businesses. They have not only stood on their own feet, but are also empowering others to do the same. This, too, in a way is giving every individual the opportunity to become self-reliant.
My friends,
Earlier, no one paid much attention to women’s self-help groups. But in the last 10 years, women’s self-help groups have done wonders. Today, their products are reaching markets across the world. Our women’s self-help groups are doing business worth lakhs and crores of rupees. I once spoke about toys in Mann Ki Baat. We used to import toys worth crores of rupees from abroad. I casually said in Mann Ki Baat, “My young friends, will we even keep bringing toys from abroad?” And today I proudly say that my country has started exporting toys. This means that if the country gets every possible opportunity and is freed from all obstacles, it can achieve great things. It should be inspired to do its utmost and the country can do it. I say to the youth of the nation: bring forward your innovative ideas, do not let your ideas die, my friends. Today’s idea could shape the future of generations to come. I stand with you. I am ready to work for you. I am ready to be your partner in this journey. Come forward, gather courage, take the initiative. To the youth who are thinking about manufacturing, come and take the lead. Tell me, if we need to change government rules. The country does not want to stop now. 2047 is not far away — every moment is precious, and friends, we do not want to waste even a single moment.
Friends,
This is an opportunity to move forward, an opportunity to dream big, an opportunity to dedicate ourselves to our resolutions. When the government is with you and I myself am with you, we can now create a new history.
Friends,
Today, the National Manufacturing Mission is progressing at great speed. Our MSMEs are recognized and respected by the world. There is always some tool or component that comes from our country’s MSMEs in the making of some of the biggest products globally. These are exported with a sense of pride. But we want to move towards a path of comprehensive and integrated development. That is why we must strengthen their capabilities. I had once said from the Red Fort — Zero Defect, Zero Effect. Today I want to reiterate that if we want the world to recognize our strength in the global market, we must constantly scale new heights in quality. The world accepts quality. Our quality must be the best, and the government’s efforts will also be there to ensure the availability of raw materials and to find ways to reduce our production costs.
And friends,
For all of us engaged in the field of manufacturing, our mantra should be: “Lower price, but higher value.” Every product of ours should have higher value, but cost less. It is with this spirit that we must move forward.
My dear countrymen,
Countless people sacrificed their lives for the country’s freedom. I have said before — they gave their youth; they went to the gallows, why? For an independent Bharat. Think back to that period 75–100 years ago, when the entire nation lived with the mantra of a free Bharat. Today, the demand of the time is this: those who lived by the mantra of an independent Bharat gave us freedom. Now, the mantra for 140 crore Indians should be a prosperous Bharat. If the sacrifices of millions could bring us freedom, then with the resolutions, hard work, self-reliance, promotion of “Vocal for Local,” and the chanting of the mantra of Swadeshi by millions, we can also create a prosperous Bharat. That generation dedicated itself to a free Bharat; this generation must take bold new steps for a prosperous Bharat, that is what the times demand. That is why I keep urging again and again, and I want to tell all the influencers of the country — help me in spreading this mantra. I appeal to all political parties, politicians, everyone: come, this is not the agenda of any one political party. Bharat belongs to all of us. Together, let us make “Vocal for Local” the mantra of every citizen’s life.
We should buy and use only those products made in Bharat, made with the sweat of Indian citizens, that carry the fragrance of our soil and strengthen our resolve for self-reliance. Let this be our collective pledge, and in no time, friends, we will change the world. Today, I want to appeal to every small trader and shopkeeper, you too have a responsibility. In our childhood, we used to see shops simply labelled as “Ghee Shop,” but over time people began writing “Pure Ghee Shop.” In the same way, I want traders and shopkeepers across the country to put up boards saying: “Swadeshi goods sold here”. Let us take pride in Swadeshi. We should use it not out of compulsion, but with strength, for our own strength and if needed, even to compel others to use it. That should be our power. This should be our guiding mantra.
My dear countrymen,
For a very long time, I have had the opportunity to serve in government. I have witnessed many ups and downs. I am familiar with the challenges faced by governments, as well as with the limitations of administrative systems. Yet, despite all this, it remains our responsibility not to waste our energy on diminishing someone else’s achievements. From my vast experience, I say this let us not expend our energy in undermining others; instead, we must devote our entire energy to improving our own abilities and achievements. When we grow and excel, the world will acknowledge our worth. Today, when economic self-interest is growing across the globe, the demand of the hour is that we must not sit lamenting over crises. With courage, we must strive to enhance our own strength and standing. And from my 25 years of administrative experience, I can say this—if we choose this path, and if everyone chooses it, then no selfish interest will ever be able to entrap us.
My dear countrymen,
The past decade has been one of Reform, Perform, and Transform. But now, we must add new strength to our efforts. In recent times, we have undertaken many reforms—whether in the field of FDI, in the insurance sector, in allowing global universities to establish campuses in Bharat. We have abolished more than 40,000 unnecessary compliances. Not only that, we have also scrapped over 1,500 obsolete laws. We have gone to Parliament to amend dozens of laws to simplify them, always placing the interests of the public first. This time too, amidst the ruckus, the news may not have reached people about a very significant reform that has taken place in the Income Tax Act. We have decided to abolish more than 280 sections. And friends, our reforms are not limited to the economic front alone—we have also implemented reforms to make life easier for citizens. The promptness of income tax refunds is a result of reforms. Cashless assessments are a result of reforms. Exempting income up to Rs 12 lakh from income tax—this has brought great joy to my middle-class families, who are eager to contribute to nation-building. Never before did anyone imagine that income up to Rs 12 lakh could be entirely tax-free, but we have made it a reality today.
When the strength of the nation increases, its citizens reap the benefits. Since the days of British rule, we were bound under the penal code, living under the constant fear of punishment. Seventy-five years of independence passed in this manner. We have abolished the penal code and brought in Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It embodies trust in the citizens of Bharat, a sense of belonging, and is filled with sensitivity. We have resolved to accelerate the journey of reform, and we wish to advance rapidly. I wish to tell my countrymen—everything I am doing, I am doing for the country, not for myself, not to harm anyone. I invite the political parties, my competitors, and all fellow leaders to come forward for the sake of the nation’s bright future and join us. Whether it is structural reforms, regulatory reforms, policy reforms, process reforms, or the need for constitutional reforms, we have made every kind of reform our mission today.
And my dear countrymen,
For the next generation reforms, we have decided to constitute a task force. This task force will complete its work within a set timeframe. Current rules, laws, policies, and procedures must be re-drafted to suit the 21st century, to fit the global environment, and to align with the vision of making Bharat a developed nation by 2047. The task force has been created to accomplish this within the prescribed period.
Friends,
These reforms will give courage to all those who wish to shape their future. Be it our start-ups, our small industries, or our cottage industries, entrepreneurs will see a significant reduction in their compliance costs, which in turn will give them new strength. In the field of exports too, changes in logistics and systems will give them a major advantage.
Friends,
There are laws in our country, astonishing as it may sound that provide for imprisonment over trivial matters, and no one ever paid attention to them. I have taken it upon myself to ensure that such unnecessary laws, which place Indian citizens behind bars, are abolished. We had introduced a bill in Parliament earlier; we have brought it again this time.
Friends,
This Diwali, I am going to make it a double Diwali for you. This Diwali, you fellow countrymen are going to get a very big gift. In the last 8 years, we have done a big reform of GST, reduced the tax burden across the country, simplified the tax regime and after 8 years, the need of the hour is that we should review it once. We started the review by setting up a high-power committee and also held discussions with the states.
My dear countrymen,
We are coming with the next generation of GST reforms, this will be a gift for you this Diwali, taxes needed by the common man will be reduced substantially, a lot of facilities will be increased. Our MSMEs, our small entrepreneurs, will get a huge benefit. Everyday items will become very cheap and that will also give a new boost to the economy.
My dear countrymen,
Today the country is moving at a fast pace towards becoming the third largest economy. We are knocking at the doors and we will achieve it very fast and there will be a day when I will go amongst you and share this news from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Today the entire world is confident about India's economy and economic condition. Amidst so much instability, India's financial discipline, the energy of India's finance, remains a ray of hope. When the economy is in the grip of crisis, the belief that India is the only one to get out of it has grown in the world. Today inflation is under control, our forex exchange reserves are very strong, our macroeconomic indicators are very strong, global rating agencies also constantly praise India, expressing more and more confidence in the Indian economy. We are making new efforts in this direction so that the benefits of this growing economy reach the poor of my country, the farmers of my country, the women power of my country, the middle class of my country, and it becomes a source of strength for the development of my country.
Today, opportunities are being created for our youth in new sectors. A massive campaign is going on for skill development, self-employment, internships in big companies and hence, youth of the country. Today I have brought good news for you too, for the youth of my country. Today is the 15th of August. Today, on August 15th, we are launching and implementing a scheme worth Rs 1 lakh crore for the youth of my country. The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana is being implemented today on August 15th, this is very good news for you. Under this scheme, the government will give Rs. 15000 to the youth, to every son or daughter who gets a job in the private sector. Companies which generate more opportunities for providing new employment will also be given incentives. Pradhan Mantri Vikas Bharat Rojgar Yojana will create new employment opportunities for approximately 3.5 crore youth. I congratulate all the young people for this.
My dear countrymen,
Today, everyone has started acknowledging the power of women in India. Our women are the beneficiaries of the growing economy, but our women have also contributed a lot in accelerating the growing economy, our mother power has contributed, our women power has contributed. Our daughters are dominating from startups to the space sector. They are dominating the sports field, shining in the army, today with pride they are participating in the country's development journey by standing shoulder to shoulder. The nation was filled with pride when the first NDA women candidates passed out. The whole country was filled with pride, all the TV channels were following her. What a moment of great pride it was. Self Help Group, the sisters of 10 crore Self Help Groups, are doing such amazing things. Namo Drone Didi Nari Shakti became a new identity. I met a sister in the village, she says that now the villagers call her Pilot. She was saying it with great pride that she was not very educated but she had achieved status.
Friends,
We had pledged to make 3 crore women Lakhpati Didi and I am satisfied that we are working at a fast pace. We will achieve the target of 3 crore before time and today I want to happily tell the country, see the power of my Nari Shakti, two crore women have become Lakhpati Didi in no time. Today some Lakhpati Didi are sitting in front of us. This is my strength, and I believe friends, this will increase their participation in India's development journey.
My dear countrymen,
The farmers of my country have a huge
My dear countrymen,
This grand festival of Independence is a celebration of the 140 crore resolutions of our people. This festival of Independence is a moment of collective achievements, a moment of pride, and our hearts are filled with joy. The nation is continuously strengthening the spirit of unity. Today, 140 crore Indians are adorned in the colours of the Tricolour. ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is fluttering, whether from the deserts, the Himalayan peaks, the seashores, or densely populated regions and everywhere there is one echo, one cheer: the praise of our motherland, dearer to us than life itself.
My dear countrymen,
In 1947, with endless possibilities and the strength of millions of arms, our country became free. The aspirations of the nation were taking flight, but the challenges were even greater. Following the principles of revered Bapu, the members of the Constituent Assembly fulfilled a most important responsibility. For 75 years, the Constitution of Bharat has been guiding us like a lighthouse. The makers of our Constitution—many learned and great leaders like Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan played a vital role. Our women too made significant contributions. Scholars like Hansa Mehta and Dakshayani Velayudhan played their part in strengthening the Constitution of Bharat. Today, I bow with respect to these makers of the Constitution, who guided and gave direction to the country, from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
My dear countrymen,
Today, we are also celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the first great personality of the nation to sacrifice his life for the Constitution of Bharat. His sacrifice for the Constitution, the removal of the wall of Article 370, and the realization of the mantra of “One Nation, One Constitution” have been our true tribute to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Today many distinguished guests are present at the Red Fort, members of village panchayats from far-flung areas, representatives of “Drone Didis,” “Lakhpati Didis,” sportspersons, and other eminent personalities who have contributed to the life of the nation. In a way, I am experiencing a mini Bharat before my eyes. And the vast Bharat is also connected to the Red Fort through technology. On this grand festival of independence, I extend my heartfelt greetings to my fellow countrymen, to lovers of Bharat spread across the world, and to our friends everywhere.
Friends,
Nature is testing us all. In the past few days, we have faced many natural disasters—landslides, cloudbursts, and countless other calamities. Our sympathies are with the victims. The state governments and the central government, working together, are fully engaged in rescue operations, relief efforts, and rehabilitation work.
Friends,
I see a special significance in today’s 15th August. I feel great pride that today I have the opportunity to salute the brave warriors of Operation Sindoor from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Our courageous soldiers punished the enemies beyond anything they could have imagined. On 22nd April, terrorists crossed the border and committed a massacre in Pahalgam, killing people after asking their religion, shooting husbands in front of their wives, and executing fathers in front of their children. The entire nation was filled with outrage, and the whole world was shocked by such a massacre.
My dear countrymen,
Operation Sindoor was the expression of that outrage. After the events of the 22nd, we gave our army complete freedom—let them decide the strategy, choose the targets, and select the timing. And our army accomplished something that had not happened in decades. Penetrating hundreds of kilometres into enemy territory, they reduced terrorist headquarters to dust and turned terrorist headquarters into ruins. Pakistan is still sleepless. The devastation in Pakistan has been so huge that every day brings new revelations and fresh information.
My dear countrymen,
Our nation has endured terrorism for many decades. The heart of the country has been pierced time and again. Now, we have established a new normal: those who nurture and harbour terrorism, and those who empower terrorists, will no longer be seen as separate. They are all equal enemies of humanity, with no distinction between them. Bharat has now decided that we will no longer tolerate these nuclear threats. The nuclear blackmail that has gone on for so long will no longer be endured. If our enemies continue this attempt in the future, our army will decide on its own terms, at the time of its choosing, in the manner it deems fit, and target the objectives it selects and we will act accordingly. We will give a fitting and crushing response.
My dear countrymen,
Bharat has now decided—blood and water will not flow together. The people of the country now fully understand how unjust and one-sided the Indus Waters Treaty has been. The waters of rivers originating from Bharat are irrigating the fields of our enemies, while the farmers and the soil of our own nation remain thirsty. This was an agreement that has caused unimaginable loss to our farmers for the past seven decades. Now, the water that rightfully belongs to Bharat will be reserved solely for Bharat, solely for the farmers of Bharat. The form of the Indus Agreement that Bharat has endured for decades will not be tolerated any longer. This agreement is unacceptable to us in the interest of our farmers, and in the interest of the nation.
My dear countrymen,
Countless people sacrificed their lives for freedom, they dedicated their entire youth, spent their lives in prisons, and embraced the gallows, not for personal gains but for the honour of Maa Bharati, for the freedom of crores of people, to break the chains of slavery, and with one emotion in their hearts—Dignity.
Friends, slavery made us impoverished, and it also rendered us dependent. Our reliance upon others kept increasing. We all know that after independence, feeding crores of people was a formidable challenge. And it was none other than the farmers of my country who, by toiling hard, filled the granaries of the nation. They made the country self-reliant in foodgrain production. For a nation, the greatest measure of self-respect even today is its self-reliance.
And my dear countrymen,
The bedrock of a Viksit Bharat is also a self-reliant Bharat. The greater a nation’s reliance on others, the more its freedom comes into question. Misfortune arises when dependency becomes a habit, when we do not even realise when we abandon self-reliance and become dependent on others. This habit is fraught with danger, and hence one must remain vigilant every moment to be self-reliant.
And my dear countrymen,
Self-reliance is not confined merely to imports and exports, or to rupees, pounds, and dollars. Its meaning is not so limited. Self-reliance is linked to our capability, and when self-reliance begins to diminish, capability too continually declines. Therefore, to preserve, maintain, and enhance our capability, it is imperative to be self-reliant.
Friends,
We witnessed in Operation Sindoor the marvel of 'Made in India'. The enemy had no inkling of what weapons and capabilities we possessed, what power was destroying them in the blink of an eye. Imagine if we were not self-reliant, could we have executed Operation Sindoor with such swiftness? We would have been plagued by worries over who might supply us, whether or not we would get the required equipment, and so on. But because we held the strength of 'Made in India' in our hands, in the hands of our armed forces, they carried out their valour without concern, without interruption, and without hesitation. The results we see today are the outcome of our consistent mission over the past ten years towards self-reliance in the field of defence.
Friends,
I wish to draw your attention to another subject. None can deny that the 21st century is a technology-driven century. And when it is technology-driven, a glance at history tells us that every nation which mastered technology scaled the heights of development, reached the pinnacle, and attained new dimensions of economic power. When we speak of various dimensions of technology, I wish to draw your attention to semiconductors. I do not stand here at the ramparts of the Red Fort to criticise any person or government, nor do I wish to. But it is equally important for the youth of our country to know. In our country, files related to semiconductors started moving 50–60 years ago. The idea of a semiconductor factory began then. My young friends will be shocked to know that today, semiconductors have become a global force—but 50–60 years ago, the idea was stalled, delayed and shelved. The very conception of semiconductors was aborted. We lost 50–60 years. Meanwhile, many countries mastered semiconductors and established their strength in the world.
Friends,
Today we have freed ourselves from that burden and advanced the work on semiconductors in mission mode. Six different semiconductor units are taking shape on the ground, and we have already given the green signal to four new units.
And to my fellow countrymen, especially the youth, and to those across the world who understand the strength of Bharat's technology, I say this—by the end of this very year, 'Made in India' chip, manufactured in Bharat by the people of Bharat, will be available in the market. Let me give another example. In the energy sector, we all know that we are dependent on many countries for petrol, diesel, and gas, we are spending lakhs of crores of rupees to procure them. It is essential to make the country self-reliant in energy.
We took up this resolve, and in the last 11 years, solar energy has seen a thirtyfold increase. We are building new dams to expand hydropower so that we may obtain clean energy. With Mission Green Hydrogen, Bharat is today investing thousands of crores of rupees. Keeping in mind the future of energy, Bharat is also undertaking major initiatives in nuclear energy. In the field of nuclear energy, 10 new reactors are progressing rapidly. By 2047, when the nation will complete 100 years of independence—the year we have set as the target for achieving the goal of a 'Viksit Bharat'—we are moving forward with the resolve to increase our nuclear energy capacity more than tenfold.
My dear countrymen,
Reform is a continuous process; reforms must be undertaken as per the demands of the times and prevailing circumstances. In the field of nuclear energy, we have introduced major reforms. We have now opened the doors of nuclear energy to the private sector as well; we want to combine our strengths.
My dear countrymen,
When the world today expresses concern over global warming, I wish to tell the world that Bharat had resolved to achieve 50% clean energy by 2030. That was our target for 2030. Look at the capability of my countrymen, look at their determination to fulfil the resolve of making Bharat developed—we achieved the 50% clean energy target in 2025 itself, five years ahead of schedule. This is because we are as sensitive towards the world as we are responsible towards nature.
My dear countrymen,
A huge part of the budget was spent on bringing petrol, diesel, gas etc. Lakhs of crores of rupees were wasted. If we were not dependent on energy, that money would have been used for the future of the youth of my country, that money would have been used to help the poor of my country fight against poverty, that money would have been used for the welfare of the farmers of my country, that money would have been used to change the conditions of the villages of my country, but we had to give it to foreign countries. Now we are working towards becoming self-reliant. To make the country developed, we are now moving towards ‘Samudra Manthan’ (churning of the ocean). Taking forward our Samudra Manthan, we want to work in a mission mode towards finding oil reserves, gas reserves under the sea and hence India is going to start the National Deep Water Exploration Mission. This is our important announcement to become energy independent.
My dear countrymen,
Today the whole world has become very cautious about critical minerals, people have started understanding their potential very well. The thing which did not receive much attention till yesterday has come to the centre stage today. Self-reliance in critical minerals is very essential for us too. Be it the energy sector, industry sector, defence sector or any other technology sector, today critical minerals play a very important role in technology and hence we have launched the National Critical Mission, exploration campaigns are underway in more than 1200 locations and we are moving towards becoming self-reliant in critical minerals as well.
My dear countrymen,
Every citizen of the country is seeing the wonders of the space sector and is filled with pride. And our Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the space station. He is also coming to India in a few days. We are also preparing for Aatmanirbhar Bharat Gaganyaan on our own in space. We are working towards building our own space station on our own. And I am very proud of the reforms done in space recently, more than 300 startups of my country are now working only in the space sector and thousands of youth are working with full potential in those 300 startups. This is the strength of the youth of my country and this is our trust in the youth of our country.
My dear countrymen,
140 crore Indians are working with full potential to fulfill the resolution of a developed India in 2047, when we will celebrate 100 years of independence. To fulfil this resolve, India is today creating a modern ecosystem in every sector and the modern ecosystem will make our country self-reliant in every field. Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, my appeal is to the young scientists of my country, to my talented youth, to my engineers and professionals, and also to every department of the government. Should the jet engine for our Made in India fighter jets be ours or not? We are considered the Pharma of the World. We are setting new records in the field of vaccines, but isn't it the need of the hour that we put more energy into research and development, we should have our own patents, we should research the cheapest and most effective medicines for the welfare of mankind, and in times of crisis, these should be useful for the welfare of mankind without any side effects. The Government of India has formulated the BioE3 policy. I request the youth of the country to come and study the BioE3 policy and take steps. We have to change the fate of the country and we need your support.
My dear countrymen,
Today is the era of IT, we have the power of data, isn't it the need of the hour? From operating systems to cyber security, from deep tech to artificial intelligence, everything should be our own, on which the strength of our own people is concentrated, we should introduce the power of their capabilities to the world.
Friends,
Today, be it social media or any other platform, we are working on the world's platforms. We have shown the world that our own UPI platform is surprising the world today. We have the capability; India alone is doing 50% of the real time transactions through UPI. This means power. Be it the creative world, social media or any of these platforms, I challenge the youth of my country, come, why don't we have our own platforms, why should we depend on others, why should India's wealth go out and I have faith in your capability.
My dear countrymen,
Just like we are dependent on the world for energy, it is the misfortune of the country that we have to depend on the world for fertilizers as well. The farmers of my country can also serve Mother Earth by using fertilizers properly. We are causing a lot of harm to Mother Earth by using it indiscriminately. But at the same time, I want to tell the youth of the country, the industry of the country, the private sector of the country, let us fill the reserves of fertilizers, let us find new ways and prepare our own fertilizers as per the requirement of India, let us not depend on others.
Friends,
The coming era is of EVs (electric vehicles). Now if we don't make EV batteries, we will be dependent. Be it solar panels or all the things required for electronic vehicles, we should have our own.
Friends,
I dare to say this because I have faith in the capabilities of the youth of the country and the faith is not just because they are the youth of my country, during Covid we were dependent on many things, when the youth of my country were told that we need our own vaccine, the country showed it by doing it. The Co-Win platform should be our own, the country has shown it by doing it. We have done the work of saving the lives of crores of people. The same spirit, the same passion we must give our all to become self-reliant in every sphere of life, to give our very best.
Friends,
In the last 11 years, entrepreneurship has gained tremendous strength. Today, lakhs of start-ups in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are strengthening the country’s economy and innovation. In the same way, crores of our youth including many of our daughters have taken loans through the Mudra Yojana to start their own businesses. They have not only stood on their own feet, but are also empowering others to do the same. This, too, in a way is giving every individual the opportunity to become self-reliant.
My friends,
Earlier, no one paid much attention to women’s self-help groups. But in the last 10 years, women’s self-help groups have done wonders. Today, their products are reaching markets across the world. Our women’s self-help groups are doing business worth lakhs and crores of rupees. I once spoke about toys in Mann Ki Baat. We used to import toys worth crores of rupees from abroad. I casually said in Mann Ki Baat, “My young friends, will we even keep bringing toys from abroad?” And today I proudly say that my country has started exporting toys. This means that if the country gets every possible opportunity and is freed from all obstacles, it can achieve great things. It should be inspired to do its utmost and the country can do it. I say to the youth of the nation: bring forward your innovative ideas, do not let your ideas die, my friends. Today’s idea could shape the future of generations to come. I stand with you. I am ready to work for you. I am ready to be your partner in this journey. Come forward, gather courage, take the initiative. To the youth who are thinking about manufacturing, come and take the lead. Tell me, if we need to change government rules. The country does not want to stop now. 2047 is not far away — every moment is precious, and friends, we do not want to waste even a single moment.
Friends,
This is an opportunity to move forward, an opportunity to dream big, an opportunity to dedicate ourselves to our resolutions. When the government is with you and I myself am with you, we can now create a new history.
Friends,
Today, the National Manufacturing Mission is progressing at great speed. Our MSMEs are recognized and respected by the world. There is always some tool or component that comes from our country’s MSMEs in the making of some of the biggest products globally. These are exported with a sense of pride. But we want to move towards a path of comprehensive and integrated development. That is why we must strengthen their capabilities. I had once said from the Red Fort — Zero Defect, Zero Effect. Today I want to reiterate that if we want the world to recognize our strength in the global market, we must constantly scale new heights in quality. The world accepts quality. Our quality must be the best, and the government’s efforts will also be there to ensure the availability of raw materials and to find ways to reduce our production costs.
And friends,
For all of us engaged in the field of manufacturing, our mantra should be: “Lower price, but higher value.” Every product of ours should have higher value, but cost less. It is with this spirit that we must move forward.
My dear countrymen,
Countless people sacrificed their lives for the country’s freedom. I have said before — they gave their youth; they went to the gallows, why? For an independent Bharat. Think back to that period 75–100 years ago, when the entire nation lived with the mantra of a free Bharat. Today, the demand of the time is this: those who lived by the mantra of an independent Bharat gave us freedom. Now, the mantra for 140 crore Indians should be a prosperous Bharat. If the sacrifices of millions could bring us freedom, then with the resolutions, hard work, self-reliance, promotion of “Vocal for Local,” and the chanting of the mantra of Swadeshi by millions, we can also create a prosperous Bharat. That generation dedicated itself to a free Bharat; this generation must take bold new steps for a prosperous Bharat, that is what the times demand. That is why I keep urging again and again, and I want to tell all the influencers of the country — help me in spreading this mantra. I appeal to all political parties, politicians, everyone: come, this is not the agenda of any one political party. Bharat belongs to all of us. Together, let us make “Vocal for Local” the mantra of every citizen’s life.
We should buy and use only those products made in Bharat, made with the sweat of Indian citizens, that carry the fragrance of our soil and strengthen our resolve for self-reliance. Let this be our collective pledge, and in no time, friends, we will change the world. Today, I want to appeal to every small trader and shopkeeper, you too have a responsibility. In our childhood, we used to see shops simply labelled as “Ghee Shop,” but over time people began writing “Pure Ghee Shop.” In the same way, I want traders and shopkeepers across the country to put up boards saying: “Swadeshi goods sold here”. Let us take pride in Swadeshi. We should use it not out of compulsion, but with strength, for our own strength and if needed, even to compel others to use it. That should be our power. This should be our guiding mantra.
My dear countrymen,
For a very long time, I have had the opportunity to serve in government. I have witnessed many ups and downs. I am familiar with the challenges faced by governments, as well as with the limitations of administrative systems. Yet, despite all this, it remains our responsibility not to waste our energy on diminishing someone else’s achievements. From my vast experience, I say this let us not expend our energy in undermining others; instead, we must devote our entire energy to improving our own abilities and achievements. When we grow and excel, the world will acknowledge our worth. Today, when economic self-interest is growing across the globe, the demand of the hour is that we must not sit lamenting over crises. With courage, we must strive to enhance our own strength and standing. And from my 25 years of administrative experience, I can say this—if we choose this path, and if everyone chooses it, then no selfish interest will ever be able to entrap us.
My dear countrymen,
The past decade has been one of Reform, Perform, and Transform. But now, we must add new strength to our efforts. In recent times, we have undertaken many reforms—whether in the field of FDI, in the insurance sector, in allowing global universities to establish campuses in Bharat. We have abolished more than 40,000 unnecessary compliances. Not only that, we have also scrapped over 1,500 obsolete laws. We have gone to Parliament to amend dozens of laws to simplify them, always placing the interests of the public first. This time too, amidst the ruckus, the news may not have reached people about a very significant reform that has taken place in the Income Tax Act. We have decided to abolish more than 280 sections. And friends, our reforms are not limited to the economic front alone—we have also implemented reforms to make life easier for citizens. The promptness of income tax refunds is a result of reforms. Cashless assessments are a result of reforms. Exempting income up to Rs 12 lakh from income tax—this has brought great joy to my middle-class families, who are eager to contribute to nation-building. Never before did anyone imagine that income up to Rs 12 lakh could be entirely tax-free, but we have made it a reality today.
When the strength of the nation increases, its citizens reap the benefits. Since the days of British rule, we were bound under the penal code, living under the constant fear of punishment. Seventy-five years of independence passed in this manner. We have abolished the penal code and brought in Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It embodies trust in the citizens of Bharat, a sense of belonging, and is filled with sensitivity. We have resolved to accelerate the journey of reform, and we wish to advance rapidly. I wish to tell my countrymen—everything I am doing, I am doing for the country, not for myself, not to harm anyone. I invite the political parties, my competitors, and all fellow leaders to come forward for the sake of the nation’s bright future and join us. Whether it is structural reforms, regulatory reforms, policy reforms, process reforms, or the need for constitutional reforms, we have made every kind of reform our mission today.
And my dear countrymen,
For the next generation reforms, we have decided to constitute a task force. This task force will complete its work within a set timeframe. Current rules, laws, policies, and procedures must be re-drafted to suit the 21st century, to fit the global environment, and to align with the vision of making Bharat a developed nation by 2047. The task force has been created to accomplish this within the prescribed period.
Friends,
These reforms will give courage to all those who wish to shape their future. Be it our start-ups, our small industries, or our cottage industries, entrepreneurs will see a significant reduction in their compliance costs, which in turn will give them new strength. In the field of exports too, changes in logistics and systems will give them a major advantage.
Friends,
There are laws in our country, astonishing as it may sound that provide for imprisonment over trivial matters, and no one ever paid attention to them. I have taken it upon myself to ensure that such unnecessary laws, which place Indian citizens behind bars, are abolished. We had introduced a bill in Parliament earlier; we have brought it again this time.
Friends,
This Diwali, I am going to make it a double Diwali for you. This Diwali, you fellow countrymen are going to get a very big gift. In the last 8 years, we have done a big reform of GST, reduced the tax burden across the country, simplified the tax regime and after 8 years, the need of the hour is that we should review it once. We started the review by setting up a high-power committee and also held discussions with the states.
My dear countrymen,
We are coming with the next generation of GST reforms, this will be a gift for you this Diwali, taxes needed by the common man will be reduced substantially, a lot of facilities will be increased. Our MSMEs, our small entrepreneurs, will get a huge benefit. Everyday items will become very cheap and that will also give a new boost to the economy.
My dear countrymen,
Today the country is moving at a fast pace towards becoming the third largest economy. We are knocking at the doors and we will achieve it very fast and there will be a day when I will go amongst you and share this news from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Today the entire world is confident about India's economy and economic condition. Amidst so much instability, India's financial discipline, the energy of India's finance, remains a ray of hope. When the economy is in the grip of crisis, the belief that India is the only one to get out of it has grown in the world. Today inflation is under control, our forex exchange reserves are very strong, our macroeconomic indicators are very strong, global rating agencies also constantly praise India, expressing more and more confidence in the Indian economy. We are making new efforts in this direction so that the benefits of this growing economy reach the poor of my country, the farmers of my country, the women power of my country, the middle class of my country, and it becomes a source of strength for the development of my country.
Today, opportunities are being created for our youth in new sectors. A massive campaign is going on for skill development, self-employment, internships in big companies and hence, youth of the country. Today I have brought good news for you too, for the youth of my country. Today is the 15th of August. Today, on August 15th, we are launching and implementing a scheme worth Rs 1 lakh crore for the youth of my country. The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana is being implemented today on August 15th, this is very good news for you. Under this scheme, the government will give Rs. 15000 to the youth, to every son or daughter who gets a job in the private sector. Companies which generate more opportunities for providing new employment will also be given incentives. Pradhan Mantri Vikas Bharat Rojgar Yojana will create new employment opportunities for approximately 3.5 crore youth. I congratulate all the young people for this.
My dear countrymen,
Today, everyone has started acknowledging the power of women in India. Our women are the beneficiaries of the growing economy, but our women have also contributed a lot in accelerating the growing economy, our mother power has contributed, our women power has contributed. Our daughters are dominating from startups to the space sector. They are dominating the sports field, shining in the army, today with pride they are participating in the country's development journey by standing shoulder to shoulder. The nation was filled with pride when the first NDA women candidates passed out. The whole country was filled with pride, all the TV channels were following her. What a moment of great pride it was. Self Help Group, the sisters of 10 crore Self Help Groups, are doing such amazing things. Namo Drone Didi Nari Shakti became a new identity. I met a sister in the village, she says that now the villagers call her Pilot. She was saying it with great pride that she was not very educated but she had achieved status.
Friends,
We had pledged to make 3 crore women Lakhpati Didi and I am satisfied that we are working at a fast pace. We will achieve the target of 3 crore before time and today I want to happily tell the country, see the power of my Nari Shakti, two crore women have become Lakhpati Didi in no time. Today some Lakhpati Didi are sitting in front of us. This is my strength, and I believe friends, this will increase their participation in India's development journey.
My dear countrymen,
The farmers of my country have a huge
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