Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Modi pushes self-reliance, energy security, chips in Independence Day speech
India has a big birthday every year called Independence Day, when the country remembers becoming free.
This year, India's leader, Prime Minister Modi, gave a special speech from an old fort called the Red Fort.
He told everyone that India should try to make more of its own things instead of buying them from other countries.
He talked about important things like electricity, computer chips, and special rocks called minerals.
He said India wants to make a lot of electricity from nuclear power by the year 2047.
India has already started three factories that make computer chips, and more chip factories are coming.
He also said India's products should reach people all over the world, because they are good and high quality.
His big dream is for India to become a strong, developed country by 2047.
His speech had a plan with seven big ideas, like farming, technology, and defence.
He believes working hard and doing things better will help India grow big and strong.
PM Modi's 80th Independence Day address from the Red Fort centred on self-reliance, energy security, semiconductors, manufacturing and exports.
Modi warned that resources such as petrol, diesel, fertilisers, medicines, chips and even territory are being 'weaponised', remarks widely seen as a reference to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz; he named no country.
India aims for 100 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2047 and five new nuclear reactors within this decade.
Three semiconductor plants have begun production with exports already under way, and five to eight more plants are expected in seven to eight years.
Modi outlined a 'Sapt Dhara' seven-point growth framework and asked India to aim for 50 companies in the Fortune 500 within a decade.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking on behalf of the Indian government
- What
- Delivered an Independence Day address focused on self-reliance, energy security, semiconductors, manufacturing, exports and next-level reforms.
- When
- Saturday, on India's 80th Independence Day
- Where
- Red Fort in Delhi, India
- Why
- To outline a roadmap for making India a developed country by 2047 and reduce vulnerability to the 'weaponisation' of resources by other nations.
Self-Reliance Supporters
Globalisation Advocates
Self-reliance vs Globalisation
Self-Reliance Supporters
India must build its own capacities and cut import dependence even when imports are cheaper and faster, to protect national interests and avoid vulnerability.
Globalisation Advocates
Critics had argued that self-reliance would harm globalisation; Modi now says such globalisation voices have gone silent as every nation focuses on its own specific challenges.
- Speaker
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Event
- 80th Independence Day address
- Location
- Red Fort
- Nuclear power target
- 100 GW by 2047
- New nuclear reactors
- Five planned within this decade
- Semiconductor plants
- Three started; five to eight more expected in seven to eight years
- Coastline opened for offshore exploration
- 99% of India's coastline
- Samudra Manthan allocation
- ₹85,000 crore