Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for accelerated efforts to ensure “Made in India” products reach every corner of the world, saying expanding India’s global manufacturing footprint should be a national goal.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day, PM Modi said India must continue to intensify its efforts in this direction.
On the occasion of the 80th Independence Day, the Prime Minister hoisted the tricolour at the Red Fort. The hoisting of the National Flag was synchronised with the 21-Gun Salute by the gunners of the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial).
“‘Made in India’ should reach every corner of the world. This should be our goal, and we must accelerate our efforts towards it. Our efforts in this
direction should not decrease,” he said.
‘Seven Streams Of Strength’
PM Modi also outlined the “Sapta Dhara” or seven streams of strength, identifying key areas that he said would contribute to building a developed India.
He called for connecting cities through high-speed rail, developing modern highways, expanding airports and creating a multimodal logistics system. “We have to focus on seamless and fast connectivity across the country. We need to connect cities through high-speed rail. We need modern highways,” he said.
“We need airports. We need a multimodal logistics system. We should not look at our ports merely as places for loading and unloading goods. It is not enough for ships from around the world to come and anchor there. We have to take our ports forward in the direction of port-led development and growth,” PM Modi added.
Stressing the need for India to become self-reliant in the sector, PM Modi said, “We have now understood the importance of becoming self-reliant in defence in every way, and the world has also understood it. There is no alternative to this. When every country in the world is thinking about its own interests, India cannot remain merely a market for the world.”
“We have to become self-reliant in the defence sector. By developing next-generation defence technologies, we have to move forward to become a global supplier,” PM Modi added.
He also called for the development of drone systems and said India should take leadership in hypersonic defence technology. Cybersecurity, he said, had become a concern for every household and was another area where the capabilities of India’s youth could be utilised.
“We have to develop drone systems. And we have to take leadership in hypersonic defence technology,” he said.
“Cybersecurity is also becoming a concern for every household today. This too is an area of defence where we can utilise the capabilities of our youth for the country and the world,” PM Modi said.
He also pointed to India’s long coastline as an opportunity to expand the blue economy, including fisheries, coastal tourism and ocean technology.
“India also has a great opportunity in the blue economy. We have a very long coastline, offering tremendous opportunities for the blue economy. There are fisheries, coastal tourism, ocean technology, and many such areas in which we can move forward,” PM Modi said.
