Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag at Red Fort on Saturday as India marked its 80th Independence Day, addressing the nation from the ramparts at around 7:39 am.
Modi reiterated the government’s target of achieving 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047, saying five new nuclear reactors are expected to become operational within the next six to seven years.
On semiconductors, he said seven to eight new manufacturing plants are expected to become operational within the next one to two years as part of the push to strengthen domestic chip production.
The prime minister also announced that one crore young people will receive AI-driven skill training over the next year, alongside free online coaching for competitive exam preparation and a nationwide sports talent identification campaign for children aged five to 15.
Modi said previously restricted maritime zones would be opened for mineral and crude oil exploration, as part of a broader energy security push tied to the government’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision of a developed India by 2047.
He said the youth have a big role to play in that journey, framing the announcements around the twin goals of Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat, or self-reliant India.
Modi opened his address by expressing solidarity with families affected by floods, landslides and other natural calamities across the country in recent weeks.
The prime minister also warned against what he described as ‘dimaagi Naxals,’ or intellectual Naxalism, calling for such elements to be identified and isolated to keep the country’s development on track.
Around five thousand special guests were invited to witness the celebrations at Red Fort, including artisans under the PM Vishwakarma scheme, women entrepreneurs under the PM Mudra Yojana, street vendors under PM SVANidhi, and taxi drivers of Bharat Taxi.
This year’s address marked Modi’s 13th consecutive Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort since he first took office in 2014.
Photo by Mr. Debapriya Hore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
