Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a series of major initiatives focused on youth, education, sports, technology, civil defence, semiconductor manufacturing and nuclear energy while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day.
Reaching out to the country's youth, PM Modi announced free online coaching for competitive examinations, a nationwide sports talent hunt for children, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) skilling programme for one crore young people and a ₹1 lakh crore mechanism to support their ideas, innovation and capabilities.
The Prime Minister said the free online coaching initiative would help ease the financial burden on poor and middle-class families, many of whom spend heavily on private coaching because of social pressure and concerns about their children's future.
"Coaching classes burden the poor and the middle class. We will provide free online coaching for various exams," Modi said.
He said parents often feel compelled to send their children to coaching institutes, sometimes far from home, even when they cannot comfortably afford the expense.
"Every parent feels that if they do not send their child to a coaching class, they are not a prestigious family," he said, adding that the proposed system would help families save "thousands of crores of rupees" while allowing parents to remain closer to their children.
The government plans to bring together India's digital public infrastructure, teachers and educational resources to create a nationwide network for free examination preparation.
Focus on youth, innovation and jobs
Modi also announced a ₹1 lakh crore mechanism to strengthen the ideas, innovation and capabilities of young Indians.
"We have created a mechanism with ₹1 lakh crore to strengthen your ideas, innovation and capabilities," he said, urging young people to come forward with their dreams and promising that there would be no shortage of resources.
The Prime Minister highlighted the growth of entrepreneurship in India, noting that more than 2.5 lakh startups are operating across the country and contributing to employment generation. He also pointed to research, Digital India and affordable data as key opportunities that have expanded access for young Indians.
The announcements came against the backdrop of recent student-led protests over competitive examination reforms and demands for accountability following the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. The Prime Minister used his address to directly appeal to the younger generation and emphasise opportunities for education, innovation and employment.
AI training for one crore youth
In another major initiative, Modi announced that the government would provide AI skill training to one crore youth over the next year.
"We have resolved that in the coming one year, we will work to provide AI skill training to 1 crore youth, so that the youth of our nation possess the capability to lead the world in the domain of AI as well," he said.
The Prime Minister said India's recent AI Summit had highlighted the country's growing capabilities in the sector and stressed the need to equip young Indians with skills that can help them compete globally.
Nationwide sports talent hunt
Turning to sports, Modi said India was making steady progress and reiterated the country's ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
He highlighted initiatives such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Khelo India Games, University Games, Beach Games and Winter Games, along with developments in sports training, medicine and nutrition.
However, he pointed out that India still fails to qualify for athletes in a large number of Olympic events.
"There are about 40 disciplines in the Olympics, with nearly 350 events. It is sad that we are not even able to compete in at least two-thirds of these events because we are not even able to qualify," he said.
To widen the talent pool, the Prime Minister announced a nationwide talent identification programme for children aged five to 15 years. The programme will seek to identify promising athletes from every part of the country and provide them with specialised training.
Modi said the objective is to ensure that by 2036, India participates in at least three-fourths of Olympic events. India is also scheduled to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030.
Modern Civil Defence network
The Prime Minister also announced plans to establish a large and modern Civil Defence volunteer network capable of responding to contemporary security threats and emergencies.
"We are going to create a massive, modern Civil Defence volunteer force capable of overcoming contemporary challenges," Modi said.
The proposed network will equip volunteers with modern systems, training and response mechanisms to protect citizens during emergencies and crises.
Semiconductor push
Emphasising the strategic importance of semiconductors, Modi said India was moving towards self-reliance in chip manufacturing and reducing its dependence on foreign supply chains.
He noted that semiconductors are critical to electronic goods, medical equipment, transportation systems and other essential sectors of the modern economy.
According to the Prime Minister, three major semiconductor manufacturing plants have already been established in India and production has begun for exports. He said five to eight additional semiconductor plants are expected to commence operations in the coming seven to eight years, further strengthening India's domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Nuclear power and long-term economic targets
Modi also announced ambitious targets for India's energy and economic future. The country aims to achieve 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, while five new nuclear reactors are expected to be commissioned and operationalised over the next six to seven years.
He said India had achieved mastery in Fast Breeder Nuclear Technology this year, describing it as an important milestone in the country's efforts towards self-reliance in nuclear fuel.
The Prime Minister also set broader economic targets, saying India should have 50 companies in the Fortune 500 and an Indian bank among the world's top five.
Call for a drug-free India
Addressing another challenge facing young people, Modi warned that drug abuse was becoming a major concern and called for a collective national effort to combat substance abuse.
"A Drug-Free India should be a collective responsibility for all of us," he said, stressing that the energy and capabilities of the younger generation should instead be channelled towards nation-building.
He said MY Bharat volunteers and NGOs had launched a 100-week campaign under the Nasha Mukt Bharat initiative.
Youth urged to participate in Census
The Prime Minister also called on young Indians to actively participate in the ongoing Census, saying even a few hours of their time could contribute significantly to the national exercise.
He said the Census was not merely about counting the population but about collecting information that would help shape government policies and development plans.
Modi urged families to carefully verify details such as names and spellings before submitting their information and said technology would enable people to provide Census details through their mobile phones, subject to verification by officials.
"Youth, I am asking all of you for your help. I want all the young people to take the lead in this effort," he said.
Through his Independence Day address, Modi presented a broad roadmap centred on youth empowerment, affordable education, innovation, sports, technology, energy security and national development, while calling on young Indians to take a greater role in shaping the country's future.
