On the occasion of India’s 80th Independence Day, the Prime Minister delivered his address from the Red Fort, marking his 13th consecutive year in this role. He is now only a few years away from equaling the record set by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who spoke from the same location for 17 consecutive years.
Earlier reporting noted: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on 80th Independence Day on Saturday and paid tributes to freedom fighters. To strengthen India’s presence and influence on the world stage, he set several major global targets. The world has seen this capacity during crises in the last few years. But India faced every challenge with its strong policies and resolve for self-reliance, he reiterated. The Prime Minister placed special emphasis on the ‘ Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan ‘ and urged every family in the country to join this campaign. PM Modi also mentioned the first-ever digital Census being conducted in the country. He appealed to every family in the country to sit together and enter correct and accurate information related to their family. He clarified that accurate information provided by citizens will directly help the government in making better policies. The Prime Minister also called for unity for Nari Shakti. He appealed to all parties to respect the aspirations of women and cooperate in implementing it effectively.
The Prime Minister said at least 50 Indian companies should be included in the Fortune 500 list. Currently, only 9 Indian companies are on the list, and five of them are government undertakings. The Prime Minister said Indian banks should feature in the list of the world’s top banks, an Indian company should be among the world’s top 5 pharma companies, an Indian law or rating agency should lead internationally, an Indian consulting or accounting firm should be established among the world’s top firms, an Indian tech company should be named among the world’s top tech companies, and Indian such brands should be created that the world accepts with enthusiasm and respect when it hears the name ‘India’. He said that during difficult times like the COVID-19 pandemic, global conflicts, and the energy crisis, some people continuously tried to create an atmosphere of fear and despair in the country. He made a direct appeal to all political parties for the implementation of 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state Assemblies. Earlier reporting noted: PM Modi’s Independence Day speech shortest in 4 years Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a 75-minute Independence Day speech on Saturday (August 15, 2026), the shortest in four years and his fourth shortest ever. Earlier reporting noted: The Prime Minister’s Independence Day speech lasted 88 minutes in 2021 and in 2022 , he spoke for 74 minutes.
Green and Blue Economy: PM Modi said his government’s priority is to promote sustainable development through green hydrogen, renewable energy and energy storage, along with the full utilisation of ocean, coastal, and maritime capabilities. PM Modi said that the scale of India’s ambitions has changed. PM Modi said India has the capacity to face all global challenges. The Prime Minister said questions were raised about the availability of vaccines during COVID, and fears were expressed about shortages of petrol, gas, and fertilizer amid wars. He said public participation is essential to completely eliminate the menace of drugs, which harm society and the future of youth.
India’s Semiconductor and Nuclear Energy Plans Unveiled
Prime Minister Modi announced plans to establish 7 to 8 new semiconductor manufacturing plants within the next 1 to 2 years. Additionally, a target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear energy capacity by the year 2047 has been set. The government also plans to make 5 new nuclear reactors operational in the next 6 to 7 years.
