Hyderabad: Laying out an expansive roadmap for a Viksit Bharat by 2047, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 80th Independence Day speech spelt out the reforms needed, saying future goals would centre around “reform from conviction, not compulsion”.
He announced multi-sector reforms under the guiding vision of ‘Sapta Dhara’, or a seven-stream strategy targeting comprehensive growth in manufacturing, agriculture, technology and innovation, defence, Gati Shakti, Raksha Shakti, Green and Blue Economy, and India’s soft power.“India has boarded the Reform Express, a high-speed vehicle of national transformation driven by conviction rather than compulsion. What we have not done in seven decades, we must do in seven years,” PM Modi said from the ramparts of the Red Fort, expounding further on his previously stated mantra of ‘Reform, Perform, and Transform’.
To accelerate structural reform, the PM said that aligning state and central reforms along seven interconnected priority streams was a need of the hour.Exhorting entrepreneurs and conglomerates to pivot around the seven-pronged framework, the PM laid out decadal plans for key sectors for Viksit Bharat. The PM emphasised that the 2047 national growth strategy encompasses structural, regulatory, and policy reforms, stating that moving from a passive attitude to proactive, large-scale development was key in achieving goals.Mentioning the words sapna, sankalp, samarth, and safalta (dream, resolve, capability, and success) at least thrice in his speech, he said, “Achieving these goals requires an aspirational society to dream big. Dreaming big allows us to expand the horizons of our thought. We have picked up pace in the last 12 years; we need to become self-reliant.”From micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) to India’s largest banks, the I-Day speech had a message for all. The Prime Minister urged MSMEs to take advantage of the free-trade agreements and bilateral agreements signed with different countries and advocated that all manufacturing firms and service providers adhere to the “reliability, durability, and quality” mantra.“Every product and service must reach every corner of the world. Precision manufacturing and zero-defect manufacturing should be our goal. Our prices must be competitive, and our product packaging must be attractive,” he said.The 2026 speech also streamlined specific economic goals: India has to transition to being an innovation hub in AI, robotics, space science, cyber security, defence, and data centres, roadmaps for improves road, sea, and inland waterways under Gati Shakti, and Green & Blue economy.“My goal is to see 50 Indian companies feature among the Fortune 500, Indian banks be among the top three international banks, and Indian ratings, accounting, and pharma companies be counted among the leading international companies in their sectors,” the PM said.He ended his shortest speech in four years by asking every Indian to join the ‘Reform Express’, saying that the goal of development would be fulfilled only if it reaches each person, prioritising the welfare of the most marginalised and deprived individuals in society.(Edited by Viny Mishra)
