News India Times

News India Times (August 22, 2026 - August 28, 2026) August 28, 2026 4 India’s Independence Day Special www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know “I Want To Shake The Nation. I Want To Awaken The Strength Of The Nation,” PM Modi On India’s Independence Day …..We have to move from the farm to the export market. Whether it is our traditional cuisine, our mil- lets, our spices, our fruits or our flowers, we have so much to offer. These should become global brands. …. ….The third strength of my Sapt Dhara is technol- ogy and innovation. …Today is the age of AI, quan- tum technology, space, robotics and data centres. An entirely new domain has opened up. …. we must become a hub of innovation. …. Now Bharat must take its digital public technologies to every corner of the world. Bharat must lead in next-generation communication technologies. Our goal should be to ensure that Made-in-India 6G reaches every corner of the world. ….The fourth strength of Sapt Dhara is Gati Shakti. Under Gati Shakti, we must focus on seamless and fast connectivity across the country. We must connect our cities through high-speed rail. We need modern highways, inland waterways, airports and multimodal logistics systems. …. The fifth strength of Sapt Dhara is ‘Raksha Shakti’ (defence power). And the importance of this ‘Raksha Shakti’ is immense in every respect. … Bharat has now experienced this, and the world has experienced it as well: there is no alternative to being self-reliant in defence. …. Cybersecurity is also becoming a concern for every household today. That, too, is an area of defence where we can harness the capabilities of our youth for the ben- efit of the country and the world. …. The sixth strength of our Sapt Dhara is the green economy, blue economy, which also create green jobs. We must achieve green hydrogen, renewable energy, energy storage, green mobility and green manufacturing at a global scale. ….As Bharat moves forward with the vision of Sapt Dhara, the seventh stream is one that holds its own significance for the world and that is Bharat’s soft power. The strength of Bharat’s soft power is immense. Today, yoga has connected the entire world with Bharat. …. Bharat has centres of faith, Ayurveda and a holistic healthcare system. Along with these and the Heal in In- dia movement, we can take our capabilities to the world. Whether it is handicrafts, culture, our films, our cre- ative world, VFX, animation, gaming or digital content, Bharat can demonstrate its stature in the global creative economy. We must develop this into a global strength. …. Today, sports are also becoming a major source of attraction towards Bharat. Why shouldn’t major global sporting events be held in Bharat? …. The concert economy is growing rapidly and has tremendous appeal for the country’s youth. Artists from across the world want to perform a concert on Indian soil at some point. …. I have spoken about some of these things, but I think even beyond them. I want to shake the nation. I want to awaken the strength of the nation. A nation does not consist of the government alone; a nation is made up of every citizen. Can we not aspire to something bigger? …. Our brands should become an identity of our country and make Bharat a destination for the world. We must work in that direction. …. We have to formulate policies and regulations ac- cording to the dreams and aspirations of the future. ….Under the Startup India initiative, there are now more than 2.5 lakh registered startups across the country. The young people of the country are not only working for themselves but are also providing employment to many others. …. From the ramparts of the Red Fort, I want to make an announcement for the young people of the country. We have decided that, in the next one year, we will train one crore young people in AI skills, so that the youth of our country have the capability to lead in the world of AI as well. My friends, The bioeconomy is a new sector. There was a time, be- fore 2014, when the bioeconomy was worth only 60,000 crore. Young people of my country, look at what you have accomplished. ….The youth power of the country has demonstrated its potential in the bioeconomy. Before 2014, the sector had a turnover of 60,000 crore; today, the bioeconomy has reached 20 lakh crore, my friends. In 2009–10, only 1.5 lakh electric vehicles were sold. In 2025–26, 25 lakh electric vehicles have been sold. My dear countrymen, The aviation sector is also advancing very rapidly, creating tremendous opportunities for our young people. New airports, new routes and new employment op- portunities are being created. …. My fellow citizens, drones have also played a very significant role. The SVAMITVA Scheme is be- ing successfully implemented in villages through drones. Around 3.25 crore families have benefited from the SVAMITVA Scheme, and as a result, assets worth around 140 lakh crore have been unlocked. This enables people to obtain loans from banks and start their own businesses. My dear countrymen, The pressure of coaching classes has become a major burden for our middle-class families. Keeping the concerns of these poor and middle-class families in mind, …. we have decided to provide free online coaching for young people preparing for various ex- aminations. We have the digital public infrastructure, we have excellent talent and we have teachers ….Drug abuse is becoming a major crisis for the country and its young people. A ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ or Drugs-Free India must be a collective responsibility for all of us…. ….We have succeeded in eliminating armed Naxals from the forests and liberating the country from that menace. However, while the armed Naxals are gone, the mental Naxals remain, and these mental Naxals are on the lookout for an opportunity. They are looking for ways of violence and anarchy. They are resorting to various tactics to drag society onto the wrong path. We must identify these mental Naxals, isolate them, and steer the nation’s youth toward the mainstream effort of trans- forming India into a developed nation. ….The contribution of our sisters and daughters to nation-building has become a source of great inspira- tion for us all. Whether in fighter jets or civil aviation, our daughters are at the forefront. ….Now, we are moving forward with the aim of creat- ing 6 crore Lakhpati Didis. The creation of 3 crore new Lakhpati Didis signifies a massive transformation in the rural economy driven by the power of women. …. I appeal to and urge all the political parties of the country. Come, let us become worshippers of the power of those women. Let us step forward to uphold their dignity and ensure that our mothers and sisters secure 33% representation in the Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha as soon as possible, so they may contribute to shaping India’s policies. ….We have to keep eradicating the mentality of slavery every moment. Drawing inspiration from the visions of the India dreamt of by Netaji Subhash Chan- dra Bose, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Bhagwan Birsa Munda, and Jyotiba Phule, let us march ahead. Let us reiterate this resolve: the na- tion’s interest must come before our own, and duty must define our identity. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State India Independence Day August 14, 2026 O n behalf of the United States of America, I extend warm congratulations to the people of India on their Independence Day. Thanks to the personal relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, the U.S.- India relationship continues to grow and is stronger than ever. From defense and energy security to critical minerals, artificial intelligence, space cooperation, and commerce, our collaboration is making both of our nations, and the broader Indian Ocean region, safer, stronger, and more prosperous. The deep ties of friendship and family between our two peoples form the foundation of a partnership that is innovative, resilient, and forward-looking. The United States looks forward to the future our two coun- tries will build together. -Continued From Page 3 Walking past troops. PHOTOS:X.COM @NARENDRAMODI US-India Relationship Grows Stronger Every Day: Secretary Rubio On India’s Independence Day State Department Press Statement U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at a dedication ceremony for an annex building at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, India, Saturday, May 23, 2026. PHOTO:JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON/POOLVIA REUTERS