PRIME MINISTER’S INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH
KEY FACTS ABOUT THE SPEECH
In 78th Independence Day speech from Red Fort,, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi shared his vision for India’s future, emphasizing growth, innovation, and leadership across various sectors.
- Record-Breaking Speech:
- Duration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his longest Independence Day speech to date, lasting 98 minutes from the historic Red Fort.
- Previous Record: This speech surpassed his previous record of 96 minutes set in 2016.
- Average Duration: Modi’s average Independence Day speech duration is 82 minutes, the longest among any Indian Prime Minister.
- Shortest Speech: His shortest speech was delivered in 2017, lasting around 56 minutes.
SHORTEST SPEECHES IN HISTORY
- Jawaharlal Nehru (1954): 14 minutes
- Indira Gandhi (1966): 14 minutes
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee (2002): 25 minutes
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee (2003): 30 minutes
- Manmohan Singh (2012): 32 minutes
- Manmohan Singh (2013): 35 minutes
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Ease of Living Mission: PM Modi outlined his vision to fulfil ‘Ease of Living’ on a mission mode. He spoke of enhancing the quality of life in urban areas through systematic assessments and improvements in infrastructure and services.
- Revival of Nalanda Spirit: The Prime Minister sought to revive the ancient Nalanda University spirit, positioning India as a global education hub by promoting higher learning and research. This builds on the inauguration of Nalanda University in 2024.
- Made in India Chip-Semiconductor Production: PM Modi outlined India’s commitment to becoming a global leader in semiconductor production, aiming to reduce dependency on imports and enhance technological self-sufficiency.
- Hub of Industrial Manufacturing: PM Modi envisioned transforming India into a global manufacturing hub, leveraging its vast resources and skilled workforce.
- “Design in India, Design for the World”: The Prime Minister exalted indigenous design capabilities and urged to create products that cater to both domestic and international markets, coining this phrase.
- Leader in Global Gaming Market: PM Modi said that India must leverage its rich ancient legacy and literature to come up with Made in India gaming products. He added that Indian professionals must lead the global gaming market, not just in playing but also in producing games, stating that Indian games should make their mark worldwide.
- Green Jobs and Green Hydrogen Mission: PM Modi emphasized the importance of green jobs in India’s efforts to combat climate change. He stated that the focus of the country is now on green growth and green jobs, which will generate employment opportunities while contributing to environmental protection. The Prime Minister reiterated India’s commitment to becoming a global leader in green hydrogen production and creating sustainable employment opportunities in environmental conservation and renewable energy sectors.
- Skill India: Referring to the Budget 2024, the Prime Minister highlighted landmark initiatives announced by the government to train India’s youth and become the skill capital of the world.
- Swasth Bharat Mission: PM said that to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, India must tread the path ‘Swasth Bharat’ which has begun with the launch of Rashtriya Poshan Abhiyan.
- State-level Investment Competition: The Prime Minister called for state governments to establish clear policies to attract investments, offer assurances of good governance, and ensure confidence in the law and order situation.
- Indian Standards as Global Benchmarks: PM Modi spoke on India’s aspiration to be recognized for its commitment to quality, stating that Indian standards should aspire to become international benchmarks.
- Climate Change Targets: The Prime Minister reiterated the India’s ambitious goal of achieving 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. He noted that India has been the only country among the G20 nations to meet its Paris Accord goals.
- Medical Education Expansion: PM Modi announced plans to add 75,000 new medical seats in the next 5 years, aiming to enhance the country’s medical education capacity and address the growing demand for healthcare professionals.
- Inducting Fresh Blood in Politics: PM Modi gave a call to bring 1 lakh youth into the political system, specifically those with no history of politics in their families. The Prime Minister said this initiative was aimed at fighting the evils of nepotism and casteism and inducting fresh blood into India’s polity.
- Aatmanirbharta in Defence: PM Modi emphasized the shift from depending on imported weapons to boosting local manufacturing. He praised the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces for their efforts, including the creation of lists for indigenously sourced items, with over 5,600 items to be procured from Indian industries.
- Defence Production and Exports: India’s annual defence production reached a record Rs 1.27 lakh crore in FY 2023-24. Defence exports also hit a record Rs 21,083 crore, a 32.5% increase from the previous year. In the first quarter of FY 2024-25, exports surged to Rs 6,915 crore, up 78% from the same period last year.
- Strength Against Terrorism: PM Modi recalled the 2016 surgical strike and the 2019 air strike, noting India’s transformation from a terror victim to a strong, bold nation with a capable Armed Forces that responds decisively to threats.
- Role of Women: He highlighted the increasing leadership roles of women across various sectors, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and space, celebrating the growing influence of ‘Nari Shakti’ (women power) in the country’s progress.
- One Nation One Election: This is required since everything is being linked to elections these days. Funds & time gets diverted.
- Uniform Civil Code: He said that we have been following a communal civil code which has to be replaced by a Uniform Civil Code. The judiciary has also told and questioned the govt.’s intention about it.
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