Republic Day Eve Address: How President Murmu Mapped India’s Path to Peace and Viksit Bharat

Amid escalating geopolitical tensions across several regions, President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said India is spreading the message of peace in a conflict-ridden world, asserting that global peace is essential to secure the future of humanity.Addressing the nation on the eve of the 77th Republic Day, the President described India as a “messenger” of peace rooted in its ancient civilisational ethos of universal harmony. “In our tradition, we have been offering prayers for peace to prevail in the entire universe. The future of humanity can remain secure only if there is peace in the whole world. In an atmosphere marked by conflicts in many parts of the world, India is spreading the message of peace,” she said.Murmu underlined India’s firm commitment

to national security, highlighting the success of Operation Sindoor, a precision strike against terror infrastructure across the border. “Last year, our country launched precision strikes against terror infrastructure...terror centres were destroyed, and many terrorists met their end,” she said, adding that India’s growing self-reliance in defence enabled the operation.

Recalling visits to the Siachen Base Camp and sorties in Sukhoi and Rafale fighter aircraft as well as the submarine INS Vaghsheer, the President said, “Based on the strength of the Army, Air Force, and Navy, people have complete trust in our defence-preparedness,” linking military strength to India’s ability to advocate peace.Highlighting women empowerment as central to India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation by 2047, Murmu said the rise of “nari shakti” is crucial for national development. She stressed that the “active and empowered participation of women is extremely important for the development of the country,” noting their growing role from rural self-help groups to space, defence and entrepreneurship.She said over 10 crore women are associated with self-help groups, while women constitute nearly 46 per cent of representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, she said, would take women’s political empowerment to “unprecedented heights.”Calling the past year a “golden chapter” for Indian women globally, Murmu cited India’s victories at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and the Blind Women’s T20 World Cup. She also credited the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign for boosting girls’ education nationwide. “With increasing contribution by women, our country will set an example of an inclusive Republic based on gender equality,” she said.The President highlighted progress in poverty alleviation, saying millions have been lifted above the poverty line, with the government focused on preventing a return to the “poverty trap.” Emphasising that “no one should go hungry in our country,” she said nearly 81 crore people are benefiting from government welfare schemes.

She said inclusive development remains central to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat,’ with special focus on tribal and marginalised communities. “Such efforts for the welfare of the poor give concrete shape to Mahatma Gandhi’s ideal of Sarvodaya (progress for all),” she said.Murmu announced that the Constitution of India is now available in all 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule, calling it a step toward “constitutional nationalism” that allows citizens to engage with the document in their mother tongue.She said governance reforms aimed at building trust have reduced bureaucratic hurdles through deregulation, repeal of outdated rules and elimination of compliance requirements. National goals, she added, are increasingly being achieved through public participation, turning government initiatives into mass movements.Highlighting India’s leadership in the digital economy, Murmu said more than half of the world’s digital transactions now take place in India. Calling the building of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ a “shared responsibility,” she urged local institutions to act as drivers of change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRu3VstnaC4

The President also spoke of cultural decolonisation, saying the government is committed to removing the “vestiges of colonial mindset” in a time-bound manner. She said self-reliance is not only economic but also cultural, rooted in Indian languages and indigenous knowledge systems.Murmu described India as the world’s fastest-growing major economy and said the country is on track to become the third-largest economy in the near future despite global uncertainty. She called the Goods and Services Tax the most significant economic integration reform since Independence and said growth is being driven by ‘atmanirbharta’ and ‘swadeshi.’Concluding her address, the President referred to the ongoing celebrations marking 150 years since the composition of ‘Vande Mataram,’ noting its role in unifying the nation during the freedom struggle. “From north to south and from east to west, the fabric of our ancient cultural unity was woven by our ancestors. Every effort to promote this spirit of oneness through ‘Vande Mataram’ is highly commendable,” she said.(With PTI inputs)