Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday highlighted the crises India faced over the past decade, including the Covid-19 pandemic, wars and concerns over shortages of essential supplies, saying the country was able to withstand them because of sustained preparation.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Modi said the Covid-19 pandemic had created uncertainty across the world and placed various systems under immense pressure. As countries began recovering from the pandemic, the wars in Ukraine and West Asia created fresh challenges, he said.
The Prime Minister also criticised those who, according to him, spread alarming predictions and rumours during periods of crisis.
PM Modi targets those spreading fear
Modi said some people appeared to take pleasure in creating fear and anxiety among Indians during difficult periods.
“And who knows what all the so-called forecasters had predicted. Some people seemed to take pleasure in frightening Indians and keeping them immersed in fear and anxiety,” he said.
His remarks came while recalling the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and concerns over the availability of essential commodities during periods of global disruption.
‘Preparations of past 10-12 years bearing fruit’
Modi credited what he described as carefully planned policies and preparations undertaken over the past 10-12 years for strengthening India’s ability to respond to major crises.
“But the country has seen that the well-thought-out plans of the past 10–12 years are bearing fruit,” he said.
The Prime Minister said India’s response to the Covid-19 crisis demonstrated the importance of preparedness, even though the pandemic itself could not have been anticipated.
“The preparations India had made, the steps it had taken one after another – although we had not anticipated that such a crisis would come – all these preparations proved useful when the crisis arrived,” Modi said.
Modi highlights essential supplies and self-reliance
The Prime Minister also pointed to the availability of key commodities, saying India had strengthened its ability to meet essential requirements during periods of global uncertainty.
“And today, the country has gas, petrol and urea,” he said.
Modi further stressed the importance of building India’s capabilities domestically and reducing dependence on external sources.
“We are standing on our own strength,” he said, using the Hindi phrase, “hum apni takat ke upar khade ho rahe hain.”
His remarks were part of a broader Independence Day address focused on India’s resilience, self-reliance and preparations for future challenges.
