Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India has transformed from being one of the “Fragile Five” economies to the world’s fastest-growing major economy over the last 12 years.
He announced a major skilling initiative, saying one crore youth will be trained in artificial intelligence. “The entire world dumped us in the category of ‘Fragile Five’. He also pointed to governance reforms, stating that thousands of compliance requirements had been eliminated and hundreds of archaic laws repealed, simplifying the system and boosting ease of living and doing business. He called upon citizens to support Make in India, Swadeshi and Vocal for Local initiatives, asserting that true progress lies in strengthening domestic capabilities while engaging confidently with the world.
However, India has, within just 12 years, emerged as the world’s fastest-growing major economy,” PM Modi said, adding the contributions of citizens across all demographics – youth, women, rural and urban residents, and marginalised communities. The prime minister highlighted specific sector-wise growth recorded during his 12-year tenure. He said India is moving forward at unprecedented speed and no force can stop the resolve of its citizens, who would take the nation to achieving ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, the year India would celebrate its 100th Independence Day.
“It is the outcome of these very efforts that in such a short span of time, 25 crore fellow citizens have defeated poverty and emerged out of it,” he added. Defence production has quadrupled and electronic manufacturing has expanded seven times, he said. Self-reliance remained central to India’s journey, the prime minister said.
