Independence Day 2026: PM Modi urges parties to implement women’s quota, warns against ‘dimagi Naxals’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on Saturday appealed to all political parties to support the implementation of the womens reservation law and ensure 33 per cent representation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembliesCalling for the issue to be kept above political differences Modi urged parties to work towards giving women a greater role in shaping the countrys policiesHe said the matter had remained stuck for decades because of political disagreements and appealed to political parties to move ahead on the issuePM Modi warns against lsquodimagi NaxalsrsquoIn his 75minute address Modi also declared that India had made significant progress in eliminating armed Naxalism but cautioned against lowering its guardThe prime minister said that while armed Naxals had been eliminated from the forests people with what he described as a ldquodimagi Naxalrdquo mindset continued to pose a challengeHe alleged that individuals holding such an ideology had entrenched themselves in positions of influence and could attempt to push society in what he described as the wrong directionModi called on the youth to remain connected with the mainstream effort to build a developed India and urged citizens to identify and isolate such elementsSeven areas to drive Indiarsquos growthThe prime minister outlined a broad development roadmap based on seven key streams covering areas including manufacturing energy agriculture and food processing technology and innovation infrastructure and connectivity defence the green and blue economies and Indias soft powerHe said strengthening these sectors would help India move towards its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047Modi also stressed the importance of building domestic capabilities in strategic sectors and reducing Indias dependence on foreign supply chainsFocus on defence and energy selfrelianceThe prime minister called for India to become a global hub for defence manufacturing and develop advanced technologies domesticallyHe specifically highlighted capabilities such as hypersonic technology and drone systems as areas where greater selfreliance was neededEnergy security also featured prominently in his speech Modi said geopolitical tensions and the weaponisation of resources and strategic sea routes had highlighted the risks associated with dependence on overseas suppliesHe called for stronger domestic capacity in energy and critical mineralsModi said India had taken steps towards greater selfreliance in nuclear energy pointing to the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu which attained criticality this yearHe said the government had set a target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 while also planning five new nuclear reactorsThe prime minister said the countrys energy security would be critical to achieving its longterm development ambitionsFree online coaching for studentsAddressing concerns among young people and families over the high cost of coaching Modi announced plans to provide free online coaching for various competitive examinationsHe said coaching had become a financial burden for many poor and middleclass families and that online alternatives could help students prepare for exams without having to move away from their families or spend large amounts of moneyIndia eyes 2036 OlympicsModi also said India was a strong contender to host the 2036 OlympicsHe announced plans for a nationwide talent identification programme targeting children between five and 15 years of ageThe initiative he said would help identify sporting talent and encourage India to compete in disciplines where it has traditionally had a limited presenceHighlighting what he described as Indias economic progress over the past 12 years Modi said the country had moved from the ldquoFragile Fiverdquo to becoming the worlds fastestgrowing major economyHe said India must continue to dream big and work towards becoming a developed country by 2047The prime minister also emphasised the importance of resilience during global crises referring to the COVID19 pandemic and the West Asia crisisHe said India had been able to maintain supplies of essential commodities such as fuel gas and urea because of measures aimed at strengthening selfrelianceModi calls for Viksit Bharat by 2047Concluding the broader message of his Independence Day address Modi urged Indians to set ambitious goals and contribute towards building a Viksit Bharat by 2047He paid tribute to freedom fighters including Mahatma Gandhi and remembered their sacrifices in Indias independence struggleModi also noted the significance of Vande Mataram being heard from the Red Fort on Independence Day while calling on citizens to carry forward the countrys development journey with confidence and selfrelianceWith inputs from PTI