Self-reliance key to a developed India by 2047, says Modi
- Last updated: August 15, 2025 | 18:21
New Delhi: On the 79th Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi underscored 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' as one of the key foundational planks for 'Viksit Bharat', citing India's advances in Defence, technology, energy, space, and manufacturing.
Highlighting 'Operation Sindoor', PM Modi said strategic autonomy and indigenous capabilities are key to decisively tackling threats, making self-reliance the bedrock of national strength, dignity, and the journey to a developed India by 2047.
Here are the key highlights of PM Modi's address at Red Fort.
Defence Self-Reliance and 'Operation Sindoor':
PM Modi hailed 'Operation Sindoor' as a demonstration of India's defence self-reliance. He emphasised that indigenous capabilities, including 'Made-in-India' weapons, enable India to act decisively and independently, proving that national security cannot rely on foreign dependence.
Celebrating the remarkable achievements of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, PM Modi announced ambitious plans for India's very own space station, signalling a new era of indigenous space capabilities.
Clean and renewable energy
PM Modi stressed the importance of energy independence, saying that for the bright future of the nation's youth and for welfare of farmers, this has to be done. He declared that while the world debated global warming, India had resolved to achieve 50 per cent clean energy by 2030, yet, thanks to the commitment of its people, that goal was met by 2025.
PM Modi highlighted India's focus on expanding nuclear energy through private sector participation. He noted that 10 new nuclear reactors are currently operational and emphasised that by India's 100th year of Independence, the nation aims to increase its nuclear energy capacity tenfold, strengthening energy self-reliance and supporting sustainable growth.
To secure resources essential for energy, industry, and Defence, India has launched the National Critical Minerals Mission, exploring 1,200 sites.
In a moment that fused symbolism with stamina, Prime Minister Narendra Modi etched his name into the annals of Indian political history by delivering the longest-ever Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
Clocking in at an unprecedented 1 hour and 43 minutes, PM Modi’s 2025 address was not just a record-breaker – it was a rhetorical marathon that spanned policy, pride, and poetic nationalism.
This feat places PM Modi ahead of his predecessors in both duration and delivery.
Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, was known for his lyrical brevity. His iconic "Tryst with Destiny” speech in 1947 lasted just under 20 minutes but remains immortal in its cadence and conviction.
Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, often terse and tactical, rarely crossed the 40-minute mark, preferring sharp declarations over sweeping narratives.
Rajiv Gandhi, with his tech-forward vision, kept his addresses crisp, while former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s poetic pauses and philosophical depth made his 50-minute speeches feel timeless.
Two-term Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the economist-statesman, was methodical and restrained – his longest Independence Day speech in 2007 lasted about 55 minutes, focused on inclusive growth and infrastructure.
With this, PM Modi surpassed his own 98-minute record set during the 78th Independence Day in 2024, and eclipsed his previous high of 96 minutes in 2016.
His shortest speech remains the 56-minute address in 2017. This year’s speech also marked PM Modi’s 12th consecutive Independence Day address.
Depth and duration
Since his first address in 2014, which lasted 65 minutes, PM Modi’s speeches have consistently reflected a trend of increasing depth and duration -- 88 minutes in 2015, 83 in 2018, 92 in 2019, 90 in 2020, 88 in 2021, 74 in 2022, and 90 in 2023.
In contrast, the shortest recorded Independence Day speeches were by Nehru in 1954 and Indira Gandhi in 1966, both clocking just 14 minutes.
PM Modi’s 2025 address not only set a new benchmark for oratorical endurance but also reaffirmed his commitment to detailed national storytelling in an era of compressed political messaging.
What made PM Modi’s speech historic wasn’t just its length – it was its layered structure.
PM Modi wove together threads of economic reform, digital sovereignty, youth empowerment, and India’s global positioning with a storyteller’s flair.
His voice rose and fell like a seasoned orator, punctuated by applause and the occasional chant of "Bharat Mata ki Jai”.
As the Tricolour fluttered above Delhi’s skyline, PM Modi’s words lingered in the air – long, loud, and laden with legacy. A record was set, but more importantly, a message was sent: India’s voice is expansive, and its vision, enduring.
Indo-Asian News Service