Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a series of initiatives and long-term targets in artificial intelligence, education, sports, civil defence, semiconductor manufacturing, nuclear energy and women-led development during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort.
Among the major announcements was a plan to train one crore youth in artificial intelligence skills over the next year. Modi said the initiative would prepare young Indians to take a leading role in the rapidly expanding AI sector.
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He also announced free online coaching for competitive examinations, bringing together Digital Public Infrastructure, teachers and available talent to create a nationwide coaching network. The initiative, he said, would particularly benefit poor and middle-class families struggling with the high cost of private coaching.
Nationwide sports talent hunt for children
In sports, Narendra Modi announced a nationwide talent identification campaign for children aged five to 15 years. The campaign will cover villages, cities and schools, with selected youngsters receiving specialised training to develop them into athletes capable of representing India.
He also called for greater attention to sports in which India has limited or no participation at the Olympic level.
Focus on modern civil defence
On civil defence, Modi said India would build a larger and modernised network capable of responding to emerging security challenges.
He said warfare was no longer necessarily confined to national borders and could affect critical infrastructure, including refineries, banks, data centres and factories.
The prime minister said existing civil defence arrangements, developed in response to the wars of the previous century, needed to be modernised. Citizens would be familiarised with modern systems, while a large voluntary civil defence force would also be developed.
India targets 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047
On semiconductor manufacturing, Narendra Modi said three semiconductor plants had already begun production and exports. He said another five to eight plants would be established over the next seven to eight years as India seeks greater self-reliance in the sector.
The prime minister also set a target of 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 and said India aimed to start five new nuclear reactors within this decade.
Highlighting the rising energy requirements of artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing and data centres, Modi said nuclear power would play an important role in meeting India’s future energy needs.
He also said India had achieved an important milestone in fast breeder nuclear technology this year, describing it as a significant step towards greater self-reliance in nuclear fuel.
Modi announces target of six crore Lakhpati Didis
Highlighting women’s contribution to the rural economy, Modi said the earlier target of creating three crore Lakhpati Didis had already been surpassed.
He announced a new target of six crore Lakhpati Didis, with another three crore women to be brought into the programme. He said the rise in the number of women achieving the Lakhpati Didi income benchmark would bring significant transformation to the rural economy.
The announcements formed part of Modi’s Independence Day address outlining the government’s priorities and development targets for the coming years.
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