Message of the President of India to the Nation
New Delhi, Aug 14, 2025 : My dear countrymen,
Hello!
I extend my heartfelt greetings to all of you on the eve of Independence Day. It is a matter of pride for all of us that all Indians celebrate Independence Day and Republic Day with enthusiasm and zeal. These days especially remind us of the pride of being an Indian.
The date of 15th August is deeply etched in our collective memory. During the long period of colonial rule, generations of countrymen had dreamed that one day the country would be independent. People in every part of the country – men and women, old and young – were desperate to throw off the shackles of foreign rule. Their struggle was not marked by despair but by a strong sense of hope. The same sense of hope has been the energiser of our progress after Independence. Tomorrow, when we salute our tricolour, we will also pay tribute to all those freedom fighters whose sacrifices ensured India's independence on 15th August 78 years ago.
After regaining our independence, we moved forward on the path of a democracy in which all adults had the right to vote. In other words, we, the people of India, gave ourselves the right to shape our destiny. In many democratic systems, there were restrictions on the voting rights of people on the basis of gender, religion and others. But, we did not do that. Despite the challenges, the people of India successfully adopted democracy. Adoption of democracy was a natural expression of our ancient democratic values. The land of India has been the land of the oldest republics in the world. It is quite right to call it the mother of democracy. The edifice of our democracy has been built on the foundation of the Constitution adopted by us. We created institutions based on democracy which strengthened the democratic functioning. For us, our Constitution and our democracy are paramount.
Looking back, we must never forget the pain caused by the partition of the country. Today we observe Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. Partition witnessed horrific violence and forced millions of people to migrate. Today we pay tribute to those who fell victim to the mistakes of history.
Dear countrymen,
Our Constitution mentions four values that are the four pillars that keep our democracy strong. These values are justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. These are the principles of our civilization that we revived during the freedom struggle. I believe that at the core of all these values lies the concept of dignity of the individual. Every person is equal, and everyone has the right to be treated with dignity. Everyone should have equal access to health care and education facilities. Everyone should get equal opportunities. Those who were deprived due to the traditional system needed help.
Keeping these principles paramount, we began a new journey in 1947. At the time of independence, after a long period of foreign rule, India was struggling with abject poverty. But, in the 78 years since then, we have made extraordinary progress in all fields. India has covered a great distance on the path of becoming a self-reliant nation and is moving ahead with great confidence.
In the economic sector, our achievements can be clearly seen. With a gross domestic product growth rate of 6.5 percent in the last financial year, India is the fastest growing country among the major economies of the world. Despite the problems prevailing in the global economy, domestic demand is growing rapidly. Inflation remains under control. Exports are growing. All major indicators are showing a strong state of the economy. This is the result of well-thought-out reforms and efficient economic management along with the hard work and dedication of our worker and farmer brothers and sisters.
Through good governance, a large number of people have been lifted out of poverty. The government is running a number of welfare schemes for the poor. Those who have come above the poverty line but are not in a stable position also have the security of such schemes so that they do not fall below the poverty line again. These welfare efforts are reflected in the increased spending on social services. Income inequality is reducing. Regional disparities are also reducing. States and regions which were earlier known for weak economic performance are now demonstrating their true potential and moving towards catching up with the leading states.
Our leading businessmen, small and medium entrepreneurs and traders have always displayed a can-do spirit. There was a need to remove obstacles in the way of creating prosperity. This is clearly visible in the infrastructure development during the last decade. We have expanded and strengthened the national highway network under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. Railways have also encouraged innovation and new types of trains and coaches equipped with the latest technology are being used. The launch of rail connectivity in the Kashmir Valley is a major achievement. Rail connectivity of the valley with the rest of India will boost trade and tourism in the region and open doors to new economic possibilities. This extraordinary feat of engineering in Kashmir is a historic milestone for our country.
Urbanization is taking place at a rapid pace in the country. Therefore, the government is paying special attention to improving the condition of cities. Paying special attention to the key sector of urban transport, the government has expanded metro rail facilities. During the last decade, the number of cities equipped with metro rail service has increased manifold. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, i.e. 'AMRUT', has ensured that more and more households have reliable tap water supply and sewerage connection facility.
The government believes that citizens have a right to basic amenities of life. Under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission', progress is being made in providing tap water to rural homes.
Various initiatives have been taken under the world's largest healthcare scheme of its kind, 'Ayushman Bharat'. As a result of those efforts, we are witnessing revolutionary changes in the healthcare sector. So far, more than 55 crore people have been provided with a protective cover under this scheme. The government has made this scheme available to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their income. With the inequalities in access to healthcare being removed, even the poor and lower-middle class people are getting access to the best possible healthcare.
In this digital age, it is natural that the most progress in India has been made in the field of information technology. 4G mobile connectivity is available in almost all villages. This facility will soon be extended to the remaining few thousand villages as well. This has made it possible to adopt digital payment technology on a large scale. In a short time, India has become a leading country in the world in the field of digital payments. This has also promoted Direct Benefit Transfer, and welfare payments are being ensured to reach the targeted beneficiaries without any interruption and leakage. Of the total digital transactions in the world, more than half of the transactions take place in India. Such changes have created a dynamic digital economy, whose contribution to the country's GDP is increasing year after year.
Artificial Intelligence is the next step in technological advancement that has made its place in our lives. The government has launched the India-AI Mission to strengthen the country's AI capabilities. Under this mission, models will be developed that will meet India's specific needs. We aspire to make India a Global AI Hub by the year 2047. In this direction, special attention will be given to improving the lives of common people by making the best use of technological advancements and improving the administration system.
To improve the lives of the common man, equal emphasis is being laid on making life easier along with making business easier. Development is meaningful only when help reaches the marginalized people and new opportunities are made available to them. Apart from this, we are increasing our self-reliance in every possible area. This has increased our confidence and has accelerated the pace of our journey to become a developed India.
Last week, on 7th August, the country celebrated 'National Handloom Day'. The purpose of celebrating this day is to honour our weavers and their products. Since the year 2015, this day is celebrated every year in memory of the Swadeshi movement started in 1905 during our freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi had further strengthened the spirit of Swadeshi to promote products made with the blood and sweat of Indian artisans and craftsmen and their incomparable skills. The idea of Swadeshi has been inspiring national efforts like 'Make-in-India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan'. We all have to take a pledge that we will buy and use products made in our country.
Dear countrymen,
India is on the path of becoming a developed economy by 2047 on the strength of overall economic development, augmented by efforts made in the social sector. I believe that in this period of Amrit Kaal, all the countrymen will contribute to the maximum extent of their ability in the national journey of moving forward. I believe that there are three such sections of the society that will take us forward on this path of progress. These three sections are – our youth, women and those communities, which have been marginalized for a long time.
Finally, our youth have found favourable conditions to realise their dreams. Far-reaching changes have been brought about through the National Education Policy. Education has been linked to life values and skills to tradition. Employment opportunities are growing rapidly. The Government has provided the most conducive environment for those aspiring for entrepreneurship. Powered by the energy of young talent, our space programme has expanded unprecedentedly. I am confident that Shubhanshu Shukla's journey to the International Space Station has inspired an entire generation to dream big. This space journey will prove to be extremely helpful for India's upcoming human space flight programme 'Gaganyaan'. Our youth, full of new confidence, are making their mark in the world of sports. For example, India's youth now dominate chess like never before. In line with the vision enshrined in the National Sports Policy 2025, we are envisioning such radical changes on the basis of which India will emerge as a global sports superpower.
Our daughters are our pride. They are breaking barriers and moving ahead in every field including defence and security. Sports is considered an important indicator of excellence, empowerment and capabilities. The final match of the 'FIDE Women's World Cup' for the World Chess Championship was played between a 19-year-old daughter of India and a 38-year-old Indian woman. This achievement underlines the continuous world-class excellence that exists in our women, generation after generation. The gender gap in employment is also decreasing. With the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Act', women empowerment is no longer just a slogan but has become a reality.
A large part of our society consists of people from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and other communities. People from these communities are now shedding the tag of being marginalized. Through active efforts, the government has been helping them to realize their social and economic aspirations.
India is now moving at a much faster pace towards achieving its true potential. Our reforms and policies have created an effective platform for growth. With this preparation, I can see a bright future where all of us will be contributing enthusiastically to our collective prosperity and well-being.
Towards that future, we are moving forward with unshakable good governance, with zero tolerance towards corruption. In this context, I am reminded of an important quote from Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji said and I repeat:
“Corruption and arrogance should not be inevitable consequences of democracy.”
Let us all take a pledge that we will put this ideal of Gandhiji into practice and eradicate corruption completely.
Dear countrymen,
This year, we had to bear the brunt of terrorism. The killing of innocent civilians visiting Kashmir was cowardly and absolutely inhuman. India responded to it decisively with steely resolve. Operation Sindoor has shown that when it comes to national security, our armed forces are fully capable of dealing with any situation. With strategic clarity and technical proficiency, our army destroyed terrorist hideouts across the border. I believe that Operation Sindoor will go down in history as an example in humanity's fight against terrorism.
Our unity was the biggest feature of our retaliation. This unity is also the most befitting reply to all those elements who want to see us divided. This unity was also seen in the multi-party delegations of parliamentarians who went to various countries to clarify India's viewpoint. The world community has taken note of India's policy that we will not become an aggressor, but will not hesitate to take retaliatory action to protect our citizens.
Operation Sindoor was also an opportunity to test the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission' in the field of defence. It has now been proved that we are on the right track. Our indigenous manufacturing has reached a crucial level where we have become self-reliant in meeting many of our security requirements. These achievements mark the beginning of a new chapter in the defence history of independent India.
Dear countrymen,
On this occasion, I would like to urge all of you to make every possible effort to protect the environment. To face the challenge of climate change, we will have to make some changes in ourselves as well. We will have to change our habits and our worldview. We will also have to change our relationship with our earth, rivers, mountains, plants and animals. With our contribution, let us all leave behind a planet where life continues to flourish in its natural form.
Dear countrymen,
My special attention goes to the soldiers, police and central armed police forces who guard our borders. I also convey my best wishes to the members of the judiciary and civil services. I also extend my warm wishes of Independence Day to the Indian officials working in Indian embassies abroad and to the NRIs!
Once again, I wish you all a Happy Independence Day.
Thank you.
Jai Hind!
Victory to India!