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 contribution to the economy of India. The hard work of the farmers of India is paying off. Last year, the farmers of my country broke all previous records in the production of grains, this is the potential of my country. The same amount of land, but the systems have changed, water has started reaching, good seeds have started becoming available, farmers have started getting better facilities, so they are increasing their strength for the country. Today India is number one in the world in the production of milk, pulses and jute. Today we are the second largest fish producer in the world. Look at the power of my fisherman brothers and sisters. We have reached the second position in the world in fish production. Today India has also reached the second position in the world in the production of rice, wheat, fruits and vegetables.
Friends,
You will be happy that the produce of my country’s farmers is reaching the global markets today. Agro products worth 4 lakh crore rupees have been exported. The farmers of my country have shown us their strength. Whether they are small farmers, cattle rearers, fishermen, we are providing them the benefits of the country’s development schemes. Whether it is PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, rain water harvesting, irrigation schemes, quality seeds, fertilizer requirement, in every sector today farmers have a trust in crop insurance. He is becoming courageous, the country is getting its results too. Earlier this was a matter of imagination, today it has become a reality.
Countrymen,
To save the livestock of our country, we remember that we got a Covid vaccine for free, but we have also administered 125 doses for free to the animals so far. In order to get rid of foot and mouth disease, which is called ‘Khurpaka’ disease here in North India, we have administered 125 crore doses and that too for free. In terms of agriculture, those districts of the country where farmers have lagged behind others, due to some reason or the other, there are 100 such districts where there is relatively less agriculture and hence we have identified 100 districts from across the country and have launched a campaign to empower the farmers there, to help the farmers, and for this we have started the PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana. PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana will provide a little help to those 100 districts of the country, then the farmers there will also be able to compete with other farmers of India.
My dear countrymen,
India’s farmers, India’s cattle rearers, India’s fishermen, these are our biggest priorities. Modi is standing like a wall against any harmful policy related to the farmers of India, the fishermen of India and the cattle rearers of India. India will never accept any compromise regarding its farmers, its livestock farmers, its fishermen.
Dear countrymen,
I have not had to read in books what poverty is. I know it, I have been in the government too and hence my endeavour has been that the government should not be confined to files. The government should be in the lives of the citizens of the country.
Whether they are Dalits, the oppressed, the exploited, or the deprived, the governments should be proactively positive for them, the governments should be pro-people. We are making continuous efforts in that direction. For every person in need in society, some people think that government schemes used to be earlier as well — no, we are implementing government schemes on the ground. We emphasize saturation, because if there is any true execution of social justice, it is in saturation where no eligible person is left out, where the government goes to the eligible person’s home, and ensures they get what is rightfully theirs. We are working towards that.
When Jan Dhan accounts were opened, it wasn’t just about opening a bank account — it gave people self-respect, the feeling that the doors of the bank are open for me too, that I too can walk into the bank, put my hands on the table, and talk. This confidence is what we have instilled. Ayushman Bharat freed people from the habit of silently enduring illness, and helped them get good healthcare. When we help senior citizens with more than 5,00,000 rupees for their health needs, it shows our concern for their well-being. Today, with PM Awas, 4 crore poor people have received houses — meaning new dreams take root in their lives. Those are not just four walls, friends. For street vendors, there is the PM SVANidhi scheme, for those who once remained trapped in the cycle of paying high interest, this scheme has now enabled them to do business freely. You must have seen that today even street vendors accept and make payments through UPI. This change shows that the government should be present in the lives of even the last person in society. That is why these grassroots schemes are designed, implemented, and when they take root, they become a powerful medium to bring transformation in people’s lives. There was a time when the poor, the oppressed, the tribal communities, the deprived, the differently abled, and our widowed mothers and sisters had to wander from place to place for their rights, spending their whole lives going from one government office to another. Today, the government comes to your doorstep with a saturation approach. Crores of beneficiaries are receiving the benefits of government schemes, and Direct Benefit Transfer has been a truly revolutionary step.
Friends,
The country has heard the slogan of “Garibi Hatao” (Eradicate Poverty) many times, even from the Red Fort, and the nation grew tired of hearing it over and over. People had accepted that poverty could not be removed. But when we take schemes directly to the homes of the poor, when we instil confidence in their hearts, then 25 crore poor people of my country defeat poverty, rise above it, and create a new history. Today, over 25 crore poor people in the last 10 years — have overcome poverty and stepped out of it, creating a new “neo–middle
class.”
My friends,
This neo–middle class and the existing middle class form a partnership filled with both aspirations and efforts, and this is going to become a great strength in taking the country forward.
My dear countrymen,
In the very near future, we will be marking the 200th birth anniversary of the great social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. We are going to begin the celebrations for this anniversary. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule’s principles and the mantras he gave us carry inspiration for us — the mantra of “priority to the backward.” 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.
Friends,
Whether it is the PM SVANidhi scheme for street vendors, the Vishwakarma scheme for our skilled artisans, the PM Jan Man scheme for those who remain disadvantaged even among the tribal communities, or our efforts to bring Eastern Bharat on par with the rest of the country in development and give it leadership opportunities — we are not concerned only with socially backward groups, we also want to give priority to backward regions. We want to prioritize the districts that have lagged behind. We want to prioritize the blocks that have been left behind as well. We have worked with the same mission for 100 Aspirational Districts and 500 Aspirational Blocks. We have emphasized infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores of rupees for the development of Eastern Bharat, with the aim of transforming lives there and making the region an active participant in the nation’s journey of development.
My dear countrymen,
There should be development in every field of life. Sports too have an important role in development. There was a time when parents frowned upon children spending time in play; today, the situation has been entirely reversed. If children come forward in sports, take interest in them, parents are filled with pride. I see this as an auspicious sign. When I see an environment of encouragement for sports within the families of my country, my heart swells with pride. I regard this as a most auspicious indication for the nation’s future.
And friends,
To promote sports, we have brought forth the National Sports Policy—after several decades, we have introduced the ‘Khelo India policy’ in the country, so that there may be a comprehensive effort for the development of the sports sector. From school to the Olympics, we wish to develop an entire ecosystem—whether in coaching, in matters of fitness, in sports grounds, in facilities for sports, in providing the necessary equipment for games, or in assisting small industries to manufacture sports goods. In other words, we wish to take this entire ecosystem to children even in the remotest areas.
But friends,
When I speak of fitness, when I speak of sports, I also wish to place before you a matter of concern. Every family in our country should take it seriously—obesity is becoming a very grave crisis for our nation. Experts say that in the coming years, one in every three people will suffer from obesity. We must protect ourselves from obesity. And therefore, while many steps will have to be taken, I had made one small suggestion—that every family should resolve that when cooking oil comes into the house, it should be 10% less than usual, and its use should also be 10% less. By doing so, we shall make our contribution towards winning the fight against obesity.
My dear countrymen,
Our nation is fortunate—we are heirs to a heritage thousands of years old, from which we constantly draw energy, inspiration, and a path of sacrifice and penance. This year marks the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, who sacrificed everything for the protection of our culture and values. Today, I bow in reverence to him.
Friends,
The strength of our culture lies in our diversity. We wish to celebrate diversity, to cultivate the habit of celebrating diversity. It is our pride that Bharat Maa, like a magnificent garden, is adorned with flowers of countless kinds, each adding to her rich diversity. This diversity is our great inheritance and our great pride. We have seen at the ‘Maha Kumbh’ in Prayagraj how Bharat’s diversity is lived—crores of people, united in one emotion, one spirit, one endeavour—something that appears truly wondrous to the world. The success of the ‘Maha Kumbh’ is a resounding testament to Bharat’s unity and strength.
Friends,
Our country is richly endowed with linguistic diversity. That is why we have accorded classical language status to Marathi, Assamese, Bangla, Pali, and Prakrit. In my view, the more our languages develop, the more enriched they become, the stronger our entire knowledge system will grow. This is our strength—and in today’s age of data, it can also become a great strength for the world, for such is the power of our languages. We must be proud of all our languages, and everyone should contribute to their development.
Friends,
Our manuscripts hold vast treasures of knowledge, yet there has been indifference towards them. Under the Gyan Bharatam Mission, we are now working across the nation to locate handwritten texts, manuscripts, and centuries-old documents, and to use today’s technology to preserve their wealth of knowledge for future generations.
My dear countrymen,
Our clear belief is that this country is not built by governments alone; it is not built only by those who hold the reins of state power; it is not built solely by those who administer governance. This nation is built by the toil of crores of people—by sages, saints, scientists, teachers, farmers, soldiers, workers, labourers—everyone’s efforts contribute to nation-building. Contributions come from individuals and from institutions alike. Today, with great pride, I wish to mention one such institution. One hundred years ago, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded. These 100 years of service to the nation constitute a proud and golden chapter. With the resolve of nation-building through character-building, with the aim of serving Maa Bharati, the swayamsevaks have, for a century, dedicated their lives to the welfare of the motherland. Service, dedication, organisation, and unmatched discipline—these have been its hallmarks. In a sense, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the world’s largest NGO, with a century-long history of devotion. Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I salute all the swayamsevaks who have contributed to this century-long journey of national service, and the nation takes pride in this grand and dedicated journey of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which will continue to inspire us.
My dear countrymen,
We are moving towards prosperity, but the road to prosperity passes through security. Over the past 11 years, we have worked with full dedication for national security, defending the nation, and for the safety of its citizens. We have succeeded in bringing about change. The country knows that vast tribal areas of our nation had, for many decades, been blood-soaked in the grip of Naxalism and Maoism. The greatest suffering was endured by my tribal families—tribal mothers and sisters lost their bright, promising children; young sons were lured onto the wrong path, misled, and their lives destroyed. We took firm and decisive action. There was a time when Naxalism had taken root in more than 125 districts. Our tribal areas and youth were caught in the clutches of Maoism. Today, we have reduced that number from over 125 districts to merely 20. This is the greatest service we have rendered to our tribal communities. There was a time when the name of Bastar evoked the sounds of Maoist and Naxalite bombs and guns. Today, after being freed from Maoism and Naxalism, Bastar’s youth participate in the Olympics; thousands of young people, shouting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, enter the sports field, and the entire atmosphere brims with enthusiasm. The nation is witnessing this transformation. Regions once known as the “Red Corridor” are now becoming corridors of green development. This is a matter of pride for us. In those parts of Bharat’s map once stained red with blood, we have now hoisted the tricolour of the Constitution, the rule of law, and development.
My dear countrymen,
This is the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. By freeing these tribal areas from Naxalism and saving the lives of the youth of my tribal families, we have paid him a true tribute.
My dear countrymen,
Today, I wish to warn the nation of a grave concern and challenge. As part of a deliberate conspiracy, the demography of the country is being altered. Seeds of a new crisis are being sown. These infiltrators are snatching away the livelihoods of our youth. These infiltrators are targeting our sisters and daughters. This will not be tolerated. These infiltrators are misleading innocent tribals and seizing their lands. The nation will not endure this. When demographic change occurs, particularly in border areas, it creates a crisis for national security. It threatens the unity, integrity, and progress of the country. It sows the seeds of social tension. No country can hand itself over to infiltrators. No nation in the world does so—how then can we allow Bharat to do so? Our forefathers attained freedom through sacrifice; they gave us a free Bharat. It is our duty towards those great souls that we do not accept such acts within our nation. This will be their true tribute. Therefore, today from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I announce that we have decided to launch a High-Power Demography Mission. Through this mission, the severe crisis now looming over Bharat will be addressed in a deliberate and time-bound manner. We are moving forward in this direction.
My dear countrymen,
Tomorrow is the auspicious festival of Janmashtami, celebrated across the nation as the birth anniversary of Lord Shri Krishna.
Friends,
When I remember Lord Shri Krishna, we are seeing that the methods of warfare are changing all over the world today. We have seen that India is capable of handling every new method of warfare. We have shown in Operation Sindoor, whatever expertise we had in technology. Pakistan has attacked our military bases, our airbases, our sensitive places, our places of worship, our citizens with missiles and drones in countless numbers. The country has seen it, but the efforts made in the last 10 years to keep the country safe, the result of that power was that their every attack was scattered like straw by our brave soldiers and our technology. They could not cause even the slightest damage and hence, when technology is expanding in the battlefield, technology is becoming dominant, then for the protection of the nation, for the safety of the citizens of the country, we also need to further expand the expertise that we have gained today. The mastery we have achieved today needs to be continuously upgraded. And so, friends, I have taken a pledge. I need your blessings, I need the blessings of crores of countrymen, because no matter how much prosperity there is, if there is indifference towards security, then even prosperity is of no use and therefore the importance of security is very great.
And that is why I am saying today from the ramparts of the Red Fort that in the coming 10 years, by 2035, all the important places of the nation, which include strategic as well as civilian areas, like hospitals, railways, any centre of faith, will be given complete security cover through new platforms of technology. This security shield should keep expanding, every citizen of the country should feel safe, 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, modernize it and hence, taking inspiration from Lord Shri Krishna, we have chosen the path of the Sudarshan Chakra of Shri Krishna. Many of you might remember that when the battle of Mahabharat was going on, Shri Krishna had blocked the sunlight with his Sudarshan Chakra and made it dark during the day. Sunlight was blocked with Sudarshan Chakra and Arjuna was able to fulfill the oath he had taken to kill Jayadratha. This is the result of the might and strategy of Sudarshan Chakra. Now the country will launch Sudarshan Chakra Mission. This mission Sudarshan Chakra, a powerful weapon system, will not only neutralize the enemy’s attack but will also hit back at the enemy many times more.
We have also decided some basic points for this Sudarshan Chakra mission of India; 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 youth of our country, it should be made by the people of our country. 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. And the third thing was 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 and therefore, I pledge to take this work forward with great commitment for the security of the nation and the safety of citizens in the changing ways of warfare.
My dear countrymen,
When we talk about democracy, 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, a state of 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 should not be forgotten and we should move forward by strengthening our dedication towards the Constitution of India, it is our inspiration.
My dear countrymen,
I had spoken about Panch Prana from this Red Fort. Today, I want to remind my countrymen once again from the Red Fort. To build a developed India, we will neither stop nor bow down, we will keep working hard and we will build a developed India before our eyes in 2047.
My dear countrymen,
Our second pledge is that we will not allow even a single particle of slavery to remain in our lives, in our systems, in our rules, laws and traditions. We will not rest until we are free from all forms of slavery.
My dear countrymen,
We will be proud of our heritage. The biggest ornament, the biggest jewel, the biggest crown jewel of our identity is our heritage, we will be proud of our heritage.
My dear countrymen,
Unity is the most powerful mantra among all these and hence it will be our collective resolve that no one should be able to break the thread of unity.
My dear countrymen,
Fulfilling our duty towards Maa Bharati is no less than worship, no less than penance, no less than adoration, and with the same feeling, for the welfare of the motherland, while putting in our utmost hard work, we will devote ourselves to achieving the target of developed India by 2047, we will not leave any opportunity with whatever capability we have, not only that, we will create new opportunities and after creating them, we will keep moving ahead with the strength of 140 crore countrymen, keep moving ahead, keep moving ahead.
My dear countrymen,
We have to remember, 140 crore countrymen have to remember, the one who has toiled hard, the one who has toiled hard, is the one who has created history. The one who has worked hard, is the one who has created history. The one who has broken the steel rocks, the one who has broken the steel rocks, is the one who has bent the time. The one who has broken the steel rocks, is the one who has bent the time. And this is the time to bend the time, this is the right time.
My dear countrymen,
Once again, I extend my best wishes to all of you on this great festival of Independence. I extend my heartiest congratulations to you. Will you say with me,
Jai Hind! Jai Hind! Jai Hind!
Bharat Mata ki Jai! Bharat Mata ki Jai! Bharat Mata ki Jai!
Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram!
Thank you very much!