Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on Saturday to highlight how India prepared for major global crises and protected citizens from their economic impact.
Speaking on India’s 80th Independence Day, Modi said long-term planning over the past 10–12 years helped the country maintain supplies of fuel, gas and fertilisers despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts.
PM Modi Says India Prepared Before the Crisis
Modi said the government had started preparing for possible global disruptions well before the current crises emerged.
He referred to concerns and rumours that international conflicts could lead to shortages of petrol, diesel, gas and fertilisers in India. According to the Prime Minister, the country’s earlier preparations helped ensure that essential supplies remained available.
The message was part of his broader argument that India needs to become more self-reliant and less dependent on other countries for critical resources.
‘Nagrik Devo Bhava’ Approach
The Prime Minister also highlighted the principle of “Nagrik Devo Bhava”, meaning that citizens should remain at the centre of government policy.
He said the government chose to absorb part of the impact of rising global prices instead of passing the entire burden on to ordinary citizens and farmers.
Urea Price: ₹3,000 Globally, ₹300 for Farmers
Modi specifically highlighted fertiliser prices.
He said the international price of a sack of urea had reached around ₹3,000, while Indian farmers were being provided urea for ₹300.
He also said the government was keeping the price of DAP fertiliser lower to protect farmers from international price shocks.
The Prime Minister used these examples to explain how government support was intended to prevent global economic disruptions from directly affecting farmers.
India’s Manufacturing Push
Modi also pointed to growth in several domestic industries over the past 12 years.
According to figures cited in his speech, defence production has increased nearly four times, electronics manufacturing has grown around seven times, railway coach production has risen 21-fold and mobile phone production has increased 33-fold.
He presented these figures as evidence of India’s growing manufacturing and technological capabilities.
Focus on Self-Reliance
A major theme of the speech was Atmanirbhar Bharat, or self-reliant India.
Modi argued that India must strengthen its own manufacturing and technological capabilities so that the country is better prepared when global supply chains are disrupted.
Energy security was also highlighted as a major priority. Modi said India is targeting 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 and plans to begin five new nuclear reactors during this decade.
Viksit Bharat 2047 Remains the Bigger Goal
The Prime Minister linked these economic and industrial efforts to his larger Viksit Bharat 2047 vision — the goal of turning India into a developed nation by the centenary of Independence.
He urged citizens to think beyond small ambitions and work towards bigger national goals.
His Independence Day message therefore focused on three broad themes: protecting citizens from global shocks, making India more self-reliant and accelerating growth towards 2047.
