From ‘self-sufficiency’ to ‘security’, PM’s I-Day speech steeped in recurring themes
New Delhi: From atmanirbharta (self-reliance) to suraksha (security), Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 103-minute Independence Day address was steeped in recurring themes that underscored his vision for a secure, confident and self-sufficient India.
Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Friday, Modi invoked ‘atmanirbharta’ more than 20 times, weaving it through India’s defence, energy, technology and agriculture sectors.
‘Security’ too remained a dominant thread, with the Prime Minister linking national sovereignty to both military strength and economic resilience.
Throughout the speech, Modi shifted between multiple forms of address from “My dear countrymen”, “Brothers and sisters”, “Saathiyo (friends)” to “140 crore Indians” — each time seeking to reinforce unity and collective resolve.
“This festival of freedom is a festival of 140 crore resolutions,” he said, calling the day one of “collective achievements and pride”.
In his speech, the Prime Minister mentioned ‘youth’ over 25 times, in contexts ranging from innovation and start-ups to nation-building.
‘Kisan’ (farmer) appeared nearly 27 times, while ‘jawan’ (soldier) was invoked repeatedly, reflecting his theme of Suraksha, Jawan and Kisan.
The word ‘reform’ was used more than 20 times, as Modi positioned change and transformation as essential for a Viksit (developed) India.
On national security, Modi hailed the success of ‘Operation Sindoor’, declaring that India had given terrorists “a fitting reply” by striking across borders.
He stressed that India’s “new normal” was to respond decisively to terrorism, rejecting what he called “nuclear blackmail.”
On the Indus Waters Treaty, he vowed that “blood and water will not flow together,” underlining that the Indus river water belong solely to India and its farmers.
Farmers featured prominently in his vision of Viksit Bharat (developed India). Modi praised their role in making India self-sufficient in food production after Independence.
“The farmers of India are not only the providers of food, but the custodians of our dignity,” he said.
Energy independence was cast as a cornerstone of ‘atmanirbharta’.
The Prime Minister highlighted achievements in solar power, nuclear energy and green hydrogen, while announcing a National Deep Water Exploration Mission to reduce dependence on imported oil and gas.
He tied this push to India’s broader focus on critical minerals, semiconductors, and clean technology, noting that the country had reached its 2030 clean energy target five years ahead of schedule.
Defence self-reliance was another pillar in the Prime Minister’s speech.
“We saw the power of Made in India during Operation Sindoor,” Modi said, crediting indigenous weapons systems for the military’s success. He called on India to produce its own fighter jet engines, EV (electric vehicle) batteries, fertilisers, and Information Technology platforms.
Women’s contributions were woven into the larger narrative. Modi saluted women self-help groups whose products are finding markets abroad, describing them as a “pillar of atmanirbharta”.
He also invoked women leaders of the freedom movement and constitution-making process, crediting them with shaping the foundations of modern India.
PM on Terror
In a clear and stern warning to Pakistan from the ramparts of Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said terrorists and those providing them safe haven will be treated alike and that Indian armed forces will deliver a “crushing” response to the enemy in case of any future misadventure.
Delivering his address on the country’s 79th Independence Day, Modi, referring to Operation Sindoor, said the Indian military punished the enemies beyond their imagination and that India will no longer tolerate Islamabad’s “nuclear blackmail” and will respond appropriately. The remarks came days after Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s threat of using nuclear weapons.
The prime minister also justified New Delhi’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the Pahalgam terror attack as he described the over six-decade-old pact as “unjust and one-sided”, asserting that “blood and water” will not flow together.
Explaining the impact of Operation Sindoor, Modi said Pakistan is still “sleepless” and that the devastation in that country has been so huge that every day brings new revelations and fresh information.
India responded to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 with several punitive diplomatic and economic measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor to target terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, triggering four days of hostilities that ended with an understanding between the two sides on May 10.
“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,” he said during his 103-minute address.
“They are all equal enemies of humanity, with no distinction between them.”
Highlighting India’s “new normal” in dealing with cross-border terrorism, Modi said the armed forces accomplished something that had not happened in decades as they reduced terrorist headquarters to dust and turned terror infrastructure into ruins in response to the Pahalgam attack.
“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 April 22, 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.” Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed in the attack.
“The people of the country now fully understand how unjust and one-sided the Indus Waters Treaty has been.”
“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,” Modi said.
PM targets Opposition
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a frontal attack on the Opposition citing issues like illegal infiltration and disruptions in Parliament.
In his address Modi sought to foil the Opposition attack on his government over issues of welfare of backwards, language diversity and GST reforms.
At the same time, he also sought the Opposition’s help in initiating policy decisions that were aimed at taking the country forward.
The prime minister’s announcement of next generation GST reforms from Diwali this year came amidst constant criticism by the opposition parties, which dubbed it as “Gabbar Singh Tax”.
Modi also showered praise on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP, which the opposition termed as “most troubling” and a “breach” of the spirit of constitutional and secular republic.
Prime Minister Modi hailed 100 years of RSS as a “very proud and glorious” journey of the “world’s biggest NGO” and lauded all its volunteers for their dedicated service to the nation.
The prime minister warned people of a premeditated conspiracy to change the country’s demography through illegal infiltration and said no nation can tolerate intruders, as he announced a high-powered demography mission to tackle the problem.
“Today I want to alert the country about a concern, a challenge. Under a well-thought out conspiracy, the demography of the country is being changed. Seeds of a new crisis are being sown.
“These ‘ghuspaithiye’ (intruders) are snatching the livelihood of the youth of my country, these ‘ghuspaithiye’ are targeting the sisters and daughters of my country, this will not be tolerated. These ‘ghuspaithiye’ are misleading the innocent tribals and grabbing their land. This country will not tolerate this,” Modi said.
Recalling the dark days of the Emergency, Modi said when we talk about democracy and independent India, “then our Constitution is the best lighthouse for us, our centre of inspiration”.
“But, 50 years ago, the Constitution of India was strangled. The Constitution of India was stabbed in the back, the country was turned into a prison, an Emergency was imposed.
“It has been 50 years since the Emergency, no generation of the country should ever forget this sin of murdering the Constitution. The sinners who killed the Constitution of India should not be forgotten and we should move forward by strengthening our dedication towards the Constitution, it is our inspiration,” he said.
Lauding the bravery of country’s soldiers for conducting Operation Sindoor, Modi said Bharat has now decided that blood and water will not flow together.
Seeking to blunt the Opposition attack for allegedly ignoring justice for backwards, Modi remembered Mahatma Jyotiba Phule’s principles.
“By giving priority to the backward, we want to reach the heights of transformation. We want to put in our utmost effort for this. Through transparent policies, we wish to make “priority to the backward” a reality on the ground, bringing it into the life of every backward person,” he asserted.
“We are not concerned only with socially backward groups, we also want to give priority to backward regions,” he said.
Referring to frequent disruptions in Parliament, Modi said the government amended several laws to simplify lives of common people and keep public interest first.
“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,” he said.
Claiming that he was doing everything for the country and not for himself or to harm anyone, the prime minister sought the support of various parties in the interest of the nation.
“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,” he said.
In a veiled attack on the previous Congress governments, he said files for setting up semiconductor units in the country that started 50-60 years ago got stuck.
PM Modi announces ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ defence project
Prime Minister also announced a 10-year project to develop an indigenous defence shield to protect India’s vital military and civilian installations and deliver a decisive response in case of any enemy threat, a move that came amid concerns over twin security challenges from Pakistan and China.
In his Independence-Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort here, Modi also hinted at New Delhi’s resolve to reduce dependence on foreign technologies for military platforms as he called for developing jet engines within the country for India’s fighter aircraft.
Though the prime minister did not elaborate on the defence system named “Sudarshan Chakra”, experts said it could be on the lines of Israel’s Iron Dome all-weather air-defence system to deal with stand-off weapons and other aerial threats.
The security shield that Modi has announced will definitely comprise an anti-ballistic missile system as well as capabilities for offensive strikes, an expert said.
In his remarks, the prime minister, elaborating on the need for adequate security for national development, said indifference towards security is not an option.
“By 2035, all the important places of the country, which include strategic as well as civilian areas like hospitals, railways, any centre of faith will be given a complete security cover through new platforms of technology,” he said.
Modi said the “security shield” should keep expanding and every citizen of the country should feel safe.
The prime minister linked the mission to Krishna’s Sudarshan Chakra, highlighting how India draws inspiration from its rich cultural and mythological heritage to guide modern defence innovations.
“Whatever technology comes to attack us, our technology should prove to be better than that, and hence, in the coming 10 years, till 2035, I want to expand this national security shield, strengthen it, modernise it and hence, take inspiration from Lord Shri Krishna,” he said.
Announcing the launch of “Mission Sudarshan Chakra”, Modi said it will be aimed at neutralising enemy threat and enhancing India’s offensive capabilities.
“This mission Sudarshan Chakra, a powerful weapon system, will not only neutralise the enemy’s attack but will also hit back at the enemy many times more,” he said, adding that some basic points for the mission have been decided.
“We want to take it forward with great intensity in the coming 10 years. Firstly, this entire modern system, its research, development, its manufacturing should be done in our country itself, it should be done with the talent of the youngsters of our country, it should be made by the people of our country,” he said.
“Secondly, there will be a system which will calculate the possibilities of the future in terms of warfare and work out the strategy of Plus One,” he added.
The prime minister also spoke on the power of the “Sudarshan Chakra”.
“It was very precise, it went wherever it had to go and came back to Shri Krishna. We will move forward towards developing a system for targeted, precise action through this Sudarshan Chakra,” he said.
Modi pledged to take the mission forward with “great commitment” for the security of the nation and the safety of the citizens.
PM projects tenfold rise in nuclear energy by 2047
PM Narendra Modi said that India is rapidly building 10 new nuclear reactors and plans to increase its nuclear energy capacity tenfold by 2047.
“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,” Modi said.
He said reform is a continuous process and 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,” Modi said.
The prime minister also stressed the importance of reducing import dependence in the energy sector.
Currently, India operates 24 nuclear power plants with a cumulative capacity of nearly 8780 MWe.
India plans to add a total capacity of 13,600 MW, including a 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor.
On its progressive completion, the installed nuclear power capacity is expected to reach 22,380 MW by the year 2031-32.
PM announces launch of Gaganyaan, space station
PM Modi said that India is working towards becoming self-reliant in the space sector and preparing for the launch of Gaganyaan, its indigenous human space flight mission.
“Our Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the space station. In the coming days, he is returning to India,” Modi said.
The prime minister said it was a matter of pride that India has been making strides in the space sector and 300 start-ups were working only in this sector.
“This is the strength of the youth of the country and our confidence in them,” Modi said.
Endorsing his views, Lt Gen A K Bhatt (retd), Director General of Indian Space Association (ISpA), said the prime minister’s plan to open up India’s space sector has been a true game-changer.
“Backed by progressive reforms such as the Space Policy, liberal FDI push and strong government support, the industry has grown multi-fold in just five years,” he said.
Bhatt said the surge in space startups and their achievements reflects an unprecedented wave of innovation and ambition among our youth.
“With this momentum, we are confident of achieving the goal of a USD 44 billion space economy by 2033 and cementing India’s position among the world’s leading spacefaring nations. This is not just growth, it’s a national movement inspiring every Indian to aim higher and reach for the stars,” he said.
The government’s progressive reforms and unwavering support have truly empowered young companies like ours to innovate across the value chain, Krishanu Acharya, CEO and Co-Founder, Suhora Technologies, said.
“We believe that fostering both upstream advancements, like satellite manufacturing and launches, and robust downstream capabilities in space-based services will be crucial for India’s leadership in the global space economy,” he said.
ISRO is working on India’s first indigenous human spaceflight mission — Gaganyaan — which is expected to be launched in 2027.
The first module of India’s own space station is planned for launch in 2028 and a full-fledged Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035.
Shukla was part of the Axiom-4 private space mission that lifted off from Florida on June 25 and docked at the International Space Station on June 26. He returned to Earth on July 15.
Along with three other astronauts — Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) — Shukla conducted over 60 experiments and 20 outreach sessions during the 18-day mission.
