Highlighting what he described as a decade-plus of rapid transformation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his Independence Day address to showcase India’s progress across manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, energy, education and social welfare, saying the foundations of a developed India are now being laid at an unprecedented pace.
The Prime Minister said India’s manufacturing sector has expanded significantly over the past 12 years, with defence production growing nearly fourfold, khadi and village industries production increasing almost five times, and electronics manufacturing rising nearly seven times. He noted that the country’s capacity to produce modern railway coaches has increased 21 times, while mobile phone manufacturing has surged 35 times, reflecting India’s push towards self-reliance and domestic production.
Pointing to the success of Digital India, Modi said the number of internet users has nearly quadrupled and patent grants have increased fourfold during the period. Digital transactions, he added, have grown around 100 times, helping create one of the world’s largest digital ecosystems and giving a major boost to innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Prime Minister also underlined the faster delivery of basic services to citizens. Tap-water connections, LPG connections, toilets and pucca houses for the poor have all been provided at a much faster pace than in previous years. He said hundreds of outdated laws had been removed, while metro rail networks and other modern public transport systems have expanded to many more cities.
On the technology front, Modi highlighted India’s efforts to build a domestic semiconductor industry. He said the country, which earlier had no major semiconductor manufacturing facility, is now developing a complete semiconductor ecosystem. Three semiconductor plants have been initiated and India has also begun exporting chips.
Referring to the growing importance of critical minerals in advanced technologies, he said the National Critical Mineral Mission has been launched, a Critical Mineral Corridor announced in the Budget and agreements signed with several countries to secure supplies needed for future industries.
Energy security, the Prime Minister said, remains central to India’s development ambitions. He described the SHANTI Act as a major reform for the nuclear energy sector and said India has crossed an important milestone in fast breeder nuclear technology, which could help the country achieve greater self-reliance in nuclear fuel.
He also highlighted a new approach towards offshore oil and gas exploration. Areas that were previously inaccessible for exploration have now been opened up, creating possibilities for discovering new energy reserves and reducing dependence on imports.
According to Modi, India’s energy mix has diversified dramatically. City gas distribution, once limited to fewer than 70 cities, now covers around 700 cities. Piped cooking gas connections have expanded from about 20 lakh households in 2014 to nearly 1.75 crore households. Solar power capacity has increased from around 2 GW to about 160 GW. He also pointed to the success of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which has crossed 50 lakh households, enabling families to reduce electricity bills and even earn by selling surplus power.
On railways, the Prime Minister said India has moved from having only about 30 per cent of its railway network electrified in 2014 to near-complete electrification today. He also announced progress on India’s first indigenous hydrogen train, which is being developed as the world’s longest and most powerful hydrogen-powered train.
Modi said the capabilities built over the last decade had helped India navigate major global challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and unrest in West Asia.
He highlighted government support for farmers amid rising global fertiliser prices, noting that urea and DAP are available to Indian farmers at heavily subsidised rates compared to international prices.
The Prime Minister also underscored India’s growing global economic engagement, saying free trade agreements concluded with around 40 countries since 2014 have opened fresh opportunities for agriculture, fisheries, MSMEs, textiles and other export sectors.
India’s youth, he said, are at the centre of the Viksit Bharat vision. Initiatives such as Startup India, Skill India, Digital India, the Rs 1 lakh crore Research Fund, private participation in the space sector, the National Drone Policy and Khelo India have created new opportunities for young innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs.
In education, Modi said the National Education Policy 2020 marked the first major overhaul of the sector in 35 years. He noted that around 650 new universities have been added in the past decade, while the number of medical colleges has risen to around 850. More than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs have also been established to encourage innovation among students.
Highlighting India’s startup ecosystem, the Prime Minister said the country now has around 2.5 lakh registered startups. He also pointed to the successful launch of a Made-in-India rocket by an Indian space startup and said emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence are opening up new opportunities, with India having hosted the AI Impact Summit this year.
He cited the growth of new sectors as evidence of India’s changing economy. The bioeconomy has expanded from around Rs 60,000 crore in 2014 to nearly Rs 20 lakh crore today, while annual electric vehicle sales have risen from around 1.5 lakh units to nearly 25 lakh. In aviation, he said new airports, expanded connectivity, the growth of MRO services and progress towards manufacturing aircraft in India are generating jobs and investment. He also highlighted the successful flight of the Made-in-India C-295 defence transport aircraft.
Modi praised the SVAMITVA scheme for empowering rural families, saying around 3.25 crore property cards have been distributed, unlocking an estimated Rs 140 lakh crore worth of economic potential and helping villagers access formal credit.
In the defence sector, he said exports have increased more than 50 times and Indian defence equipment is now being exported to around 100 countries. He also highlighted the achievement of the target of creating three crore “Lakhpati Didis”, saying women from diverse social backgrounds are now benefiting from new avenues of income generation and entrepreneurship.
Concluding his overview of the government’s achievements, the Prime Minister said social security coverage has expanded from around 25 crore people before 2014 to nearly 100 crore today. He added that Ayushman Bharat has provided substantial financial relief to families, helping beneficiaries avoid an estimated Rs 2 lakh crore in medical expenses, and described the expansion of welfare coverage as a key pillar of India’s development journey.
