Archive · 15 Aug 2026
PM Modi Urges Indians to Dream Big for Viksit Bharat
India has a special holiday called Independence Day, when the country celebrates being free.
Every year, the leader of India gives a speech from a very old fort called the Red Fort.
This year, Prime Minister Modi told everyone in India to 'dream big'.
He said that when millions of people dream big, the country works harder and can achieve great things.
He believes India can become a rich and developed country by the year 2047.
He said that hard-working people all over India have already helped lift more than 25 crore people out of poverty.
He also asked everyone to buy things made in India and to become self-reliant.
He talked about India building its own energy, trains, phones and defence equipment.
Before his speech, he honored Mahatma Gandhi, a great Indian leader, at a place called Rajghat.
For the very first time since India became free, the national song Vande Mataram was played at the Red Fort.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 80th Independence Day address from the Red Fort, urged Indians to 'dream big' to achieve big goals.
He expressed confidence that India will become a developed nation, realizing the dream of 'Viksit Bharat', by 2047.
Modi credited all sections of society, saying over 25 crore people were lifted out of poverty in the last 12 years.
He stressed self-reliance through swadeshi and 'Vocal for Local', highlighting nuclear energy progress such as the PFBR at Kalpakkam attaining criticality.
For the first time since Independence, the national song Vande Mataram was played at the Red Fort; earlier, Modi paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- What
- Delivered an Independence Day address from the Red Fort urging Indians to 'dream big' and to make India a developed nation ('Viksit Bharat') by 2047, emphasizing self-reliance, swadeshi and 'Vocal for Local'.
- When
- Saturday, August 15, on India's 80th Independence Day
- Where
- Red Fort, New Delhi, India; earlier tributes were paid at Rajghat
- Why
- To rally all 140 crore Indians behind the goal of a developed India by 2047 and to highlight the country's progress, including over 25 crore people lifted out of poverty and advances in energy, defence and manufacturing.
Critics and Naysayers
Government of PM Modi
Self-reliance and crisis preparedness
Critics and Naysayers
During the Covid-19 pandemic and the West Asia crisis, some people spread misinformation and warned that India would not get vaccines, petrol, diesel or LPG, and weaponized systems at their disposal during times of crisis.
Government of PM Modi
PM Modi said India's self-reliance measures proved naysayers wrong, with no shortage of gas, fuel or urea in the country today and sufficient energy supplies ensured during the West Asia crisis.
- Speaker
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Occasion
- 80th Independence Day address at the Red Fort, New Delhi
- National goal
- 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India) by 2047
- Poverty reduction
- Over 25 crore people lifted out of poverty in the last 12 years
- Population cited
- 140 crore Indians
- Theme
- Self-reliance (aatmanirbharta), swadeshi and 'Vocal for Local'
- Sector growth (last 12 years)
- Defence production 4x, electronics 7x, railway coaches 21x, mobile phones 33x
- Nuclear energy
- SHANTI Act passed; 100 GW nuclear power target by 2047; Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu reached criticality
