PM Modi’s I-Day announcements: Stronger national security, GST reforms, Rs 1-L Cr job scheme

In his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on India's 79th Independence Day on Friday (August 15), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this day should "inspire us to keep working even harder to realise the dreams of our freedom fighters and build a Viksit Bharat by 1947".

Modi said that for a nation, the greatest test of self-respect is its self-reliance and stressed that the foundation of a Viksit Bharat is also 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

"Those who are dependent on others raise a question mark over their own freedom, and this happens even more when we get used to being dependent on others. That is why we must remain aware. Self-reliance is not limited to export and imports. It is also related to our capabilities. Therefore, to increase our capabilities, we must be self-reliant," he asserted.

Self-reliance and Operation Sindoor

Delivering his 12th consecutive Independence Day address to the nation, Modi said Operation Sindoor was a manifestation of the anger that the country was feeling over the Pahalgam terror attack in which terrorists from across the border carried out a gruesome massacre, killing people after asking their religion.

The prime minister said the country saw the wonders of 'Made in India' in Operation Sindoor.

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Even the enemy was shocked at the kind of ammunition that was destroying them within seconds, Modi said.

"Had we not been self-reliant, would we be able to carry out Operation Sindoor at such a level? In the last 10 years, we set our target to become self-reliant in the defence sector, and today we are seeing the results," Modi said.

The prime minister announced that India will launch a mission named 'Sudarshan Chakra' to "expand, strengthen, and modernise" this national security shield.

‘Will not tolerate nuclear blackmail’

In a stern warning to Pakistan, Prime Minister Modi said India will not tolerate nuclear blackmail anymore and will give a befitting reply to the enemy, while asserting that it has now set a "new normal" of not differentiating between terrorists and those who nurture terrorism.

"Today, there is a special importance of August 15. I feel proud that from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I got the opportunity to salute the braveheart soldiers of Operation Sindoor. Our bravehearts have given such a punishment to our enemies that they never imagined," he said.

Indus Waters Treaty ‘one-sided and unjust’

The prime minister also asserted that now "blood and water will not flow together" and said people now know that the Indus Waters Treaty was "one-sided and unjust".

Modi said India and its farmers have the sole right over the country's share of Indus River waters. He said the treaty had caused enormous harm to agriculture in India. It allowed rivers from India to "irrigate the fields of our enemies, while the soil of my country remains thirsty".

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"The waters that belong to India will be used by India, for India's farmers alone, and we will no longer tolerate an arrangement that deprived its farmers," he said.

Modi said India's farmers had suffered "unimaginable losses" for the last seven decades under the agreement.

"India has endured this for decades. We will not endure it any further. In the interest of our farmers, in the interest of the nation, this agreement is unacceptable to us," he said.

‘Will stand like a wall to protect farmers, fishermen’

In a remark, purportedly directed at the US, which has been demanding India to open its agriculture and dairy sectors, Modi said India will not compromise on the interests of farmers, livestock rearers, and fishermen, asserting that he is standing like a wall to protect them.

The US is seeking duty concessions from India in the agriculture and dairy sectors in the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) being negotiated between the two countries.

The US has also imposed steep tariffs on India. Trump has ratcheted up tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, which will come into effect from August 27. At present, an additional 25 per cent tariff is there on Indian goods entering the American market.

GST reforms: ‘Diwali gift’

The prime minister promised a big Diwali gift in the form of next-generation GST reforms and said the taxes paid by people would reduce drastically, benefiting small industries and MSMEs.

He said the next generation reforms in Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be unveiled by Diwali, which will provide “substantial” tax relief to the common man and benefit small and medium enterprises.

Modi said the time has come to undertake reforms in GST as the indirect tax regime has completed eight years.

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GST, which subsumed a host of taxes and local levies, was rolled out on July 1, 2017.

"We have discussed with states and we will usher in next generation GST reforms by Diwali, which will be a Diwali gift for citizens. Tax on items for the common man will be reduced substantially. Our MSMEs will benefit hugely. Daily-use items will become cheaper, which will also strengthen our economy," Modi said.

A Group of Ministers (GoM) comprising state finance ministers is already discussing the rate rationalisation and pruning of slabs in GST.

Pays tributes to Constitution-makers

In his address, Modi also said India's Constitution has been a guiding light, showing the way for the last 75 years.

Modi hailed the contribution of the likes of Rajendra Prasad, BR Ambedkar, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and S Radhakrishnan. The contribution of “nari shakti” has been no less, the prime minister added.

"I pay tributes to the Constitution-makers."

Earlier, the prime minister also paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat on the 79th Independence Day. The theme for this year's celebrations is “Naya Bharat”.

Noting that SP Mookerjee's 125th birth anniversary is being celebrated, the prime minister said Mookerjee had sacrificed greatly for the Constitution.

On semiconductors, nuclear energy

In his remarks, Modi also said the first made-in-India semiconductor chip will be launched in the market by the end of this year. He pointed out that six semiconductor units are already on the ground and four new units have been given the green signal.

Modi said India is rapidly working on 10 new nuclear reactors and has pledged to increase its nuclear energy capacity tenfold.

National Sports Policy 2025

Modi in his speech declared his commitment to promote sports in the remotest corners of the country and said the recently-approved National Sports Policy 2025 will help in realising the goal.

"We want to promote sports in far-flung areas. The National Sports Policy will help in this matter," Modi said.

The Union cabinet chaired by Modi had last month approved the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025, a landmark initiative aimed at reshaping the country's sporting landscape and empowering citizens through sports.

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The new policy supersedes the existing National Sports Policy 2001, and lays out a visionary and strategic road map to establish India as a global sporting powerhouse and a strong contender for excellence at international sporting events, including the 2036 Olympic Games.

The NSP 2025 aims to build a strong and inclusive sports ecosystem in the country.

Naxalism: 'Turned red corridors green'

Modi said India is moving towards prosperity, and that in the last 11 years, the government has worked in a dedicated manner on national security and to protect the interests of the people.

"A huge chunk of our land was under the grip of the Naxalites. Adivasi brothers and sisters bore the brunt of the resistance. But now we have reduced Maoism from hundreds of districts to just 20. Now many youths from these districts make India proud in the sector of sports. The places which were once known as "red corridors" have now turned into 'green corridors' of development," said the prime minister.

Demographic mission

Modi warned people of a pre-meditated conspiracy to change the country's demography through illegal infiltration and said no nation can tolerate intruders, as he announced a high-powered demographic mission to tackle the problem.

He said the country's forefathers made the supreme sacrifice to win freedom for Indians and it is the duty of its citizens to not accept such activities.

"I wish to warn the country about a concern that is emerging as a crisis. As part of a premeditated conspiracy, the country's demography is being changed. Seeds of a new crisis are being sown," Modi said.

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He said his government has decided to start a high-powered demographic mission to tackle this crisis.

"From the ramparts of the Red Fort, I want to say that we have decided to start a high-powered demographic mission. This mission will tackle this serious crisis and will take care of the crisis looming large over our country in a set time frame. We are moving forward towards it," he announced.

Modi warned that when demographic changes take place, especially in the border areas, they create a national security crisis.

Task force for next-gen reforms

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the setting up of a task force to suggest next-generation reforms with an aim to promote the country's economic growth and move ahead on the path of becoming a “Viksit Bharat” or a developed nation by 2047.

"We have decided to constitute a task force for next-generation reforms. This force will work within a set time-frame to align existing laws with the needs of the 21st century and prepare the nation to become 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047," he said.

He said to fulfil the vision of Viksit Bharat, India is building a modern ecosystem in every sector, making the nation self-reliant.

The government, Modi said, has already undertaken a series of reform measures in areas such as foreign direct investments (FDI), reducing compliance burden, ending obsolete laws, and simplification of rules.

The government has also brought reforms in the country's income tax laws. A bill to decriminalise minor offences will be presented in Parliament next week.

"We need to do more reforms," Modi said.

National Deep Water Exploration Mission

India is going to launch the National Deep Water Exploration Mission to explore the reserves of oil and gas beneath the sea, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.

He said India is working to become self-reliant and energy-independent and therefore it is moving towards a "Samudra Manthan" (churning of the ocean).

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"We want to work in mission mode to explore the reserves of oil and gas beneath the sea. That is why India is going to launch the National Deep Water Exploration Mission. This is an important announcement towards becoming energy independent," he said.

‘Obesity, a major challenge’

Modi said obesity is emerging as a major challenge for the country and that everyone must contribute to the fight against it. He said that according to experts, one in every three persons would be obese in the coming years.

"While talking about fitness, I want to express a concern. Every family in the country should be concerned that obesity is becoming a major challenge for our country. We must protect ourselves from obesity," he said.

In this direction, Modi reiterated his previous suggestion and urged families to buy 10 per cent less oil for cooking and also cut its usage by 10 per cent.

Success of Maha Kumbh

The prime minister hailed the success of Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj as a testimony to the strength of India. He said Maha Kumbh saw the vibrancy of India coming alive.

"At Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, we saw how the vibrancy of India is lived. Crores of people at one place, one thought, one life, one effort... it is a great wonder for the world," he said.

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"The success of Maha Kumbh is a testimony to the strength of India. Our country is filled with the vibrancy of languages..," the PM said.

Maha Kumbh, a mega-religious event organised every 12 years, was held in Prayagraj from January 13 and continued for 45 days. Over 62 crore pilgrims took a holy dip at the Sangam this Maha Kumbh.

PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana

In his address, Modi also announced the launch of a ₹1 lakh crore scheme for the youth - the PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana. Under this scheme, those getting first job in private sector will get ₹15,000 from the government.

The scheme is expected to create 3.5 crore jobs in the next two years.

With an outlay of ₹99,446 crores, the PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) aims to incentivise the creation of more than 3.5 crore jobs over two years. Of these, 1.92 crore beneficiaries will be first-timers entering the workforce.

Longest I-Day speech

Modi's Friday speech, which lasted for 103 minutes, was the longest by any prime minister in India's history. He broke his own 98-minute record from the 78th Independence Day last year.

His longest Independence Day speech before 2024 was 96 minutes in 2016 while his shortest speech was in 2017 when he spoke for 56 minutes.

On India's 79th Independence Day, Modi also broke Indira Gandhi's record by delivering 12 consecutive speeches from Red Fort to stand next only to Jawaharlal Nehru who delivered 17 Independence Day addresses in a row.

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Before Modi, Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947 and IK Gujral in 1997 had the longest speeches at 72 and 71 minutes, respectively. Nehru and Indira Gandhi also gave the shortest speeches on record at 14 minutes in 1954 and 1966, respectively.

Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee also gave some of the shortest Independence Day speeches from the Red Fort.

Singh's speeches in 2012 and 2013 lasted only 32 and 35 minutes, respectively. Vajpayee's speeches in 2002 and 2003 were even shorter at 25 and 30 minutes.

(With inputs from agencies)