My colleagues in the Union Cabinet, Shri Rajnath Singh ji, Shri Ajay Bhatt ji, CDS General Anil Chouhan ji, Chiefs of all three forces, Defence Secretary, DG NCC, all distinguished guests, and my young comrades from the NCC!

Being a former NCC cadet, whenever I come among you, it's quite natural for many old memories which get refreshed. Whenever I come among NCC cadets, the first thing I see is the version of ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’. You all have come here from different corners of the country. And I am glad that over the years, the scope of NCC rallies has been continuously expanding. And this time, there's yet another new beginning. Today, among us are over 400 sarpanches from the border villages of the country, which the government is developing as Vibrant Villages. In addition to this, there are also more than 100 sisters representing self-help groups from all over the country. I warmly welcome all of you.

Friends,

The NCC rally is continuously strengthening the sentiment of "One World, One Family, One Future." In 2014, cadets from 10 countries participated in this rally. Today, cadets from 24 friendly countries are present here. I extend a warm welcome to all of you, and especially to the young cadets who have come from abroad.

My young friends,

This year, the country is celebrating its 75th Republic Day. This historic milestone is dedicated to the ‘Nari Shakti’ (women power) of the nation. Yesterday, we saw at Kartavya Path that this year's event was dedicated to Women Power. We showed the world how excellent work Indian daughters are doing. We showed the world how Indian daughters are setting new standards in every sector. It was also the first time when such a large number of women contingents participated in the Republic Day parade. You all performed brilliantly. Today, many cadets have also received awards here. Cycling from Kanyakumari to Delhi and from Guwahati to Delhi ... From Jhansi to Delhi, the Nari Shakti Vandan Run … Running 470 kilometers for 6 days, which means running 80 kilometers every day. This is not easy. I congratulate all the cadets who participated in various events. And particularly to two groups of cyclists, one from Vadodara and one from Varanasi! I became a Member of Parliament for the first time from Vadodara and also from Varanasi.

My young friends,

There was a time when the participation of daughters was limited only to cultural programs. Today, the world is witnessing how Indian daughters are excelling in land, sea, sky, and space. The glimpse of this was seen yesterday on Kartavya Path. Whatever the world saw yesterday didn't happen suddenly. It's the result of consistent efforts over the past 10 years.

Women have always been seen as a ‘Shakti’ (power) in Indian tradition. There have been brave women like Rani Lakshmibai, Rani Chennamma, and Velu Nachiyar on the soil of Bharat. Several women revolutionaries defeated the British during the fight for independence. Over the past 10 years, our government has continuously empowered the energy of ‘Nari Shakti’ (women power). We have removed all barriers where entry for daughters was closed or limited in various sectors before. We have opened the frontlines of all three armed forces for daughters. Today, women officers are being given permanent commissions in the armed forces. Avenues have been opened for daughters by placing them in command roles and combat positions in all three forces. Today, you see, the participation of daughters is increasing significantly from being Agniveer to fighter pilot. Previously, daughters were not allowed to study in military schools. Now, daughters are studying in many military schools across the country. The number of female personnel in central security forces has more than doubled in the last 10 years. States are also being encouraged to increase the number of women forces in the state police forces.

And friends,

When daughters enter such professions, it also has an impact on society's mentality. It helps in reducing crimes against women as well.

My young friends,

The participation of daughters is continuously increasing in other sectors of society as well. Whether it's banking in villages, insurance, or services related to it, a large number of our daughters are involved. Today, whether it's start-ups or self-help groups, daughters are making their mark in every field.

Young friends,

When the country provides equal opportunities for the talents of both sons and daughters, its talent pool becomes significantly larger. This is the greatest strength in building ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India). Today, the strength of the entire world lies in this talent pool of Bharat. Today, the whole world sees Bharat as a ‘Vishwa Mitra’ (global friend). The power of Bharat’s passport is increasing significantly. It is largely benefiting young friends like you, in your careers. Many countries around the world are now seeing the talent of Indian youth as an opportunity.

Young friends,

I often say one thing: this ‘Amrit Kaal’ we are in, the next 25 years, the ‘Viksit Bharat’ that we are working towards, the beneficiary of this is not Modi. The biggest beneficiaries are young people like you in my country. The beneficiaries are those students who are still in school, college, and university. The career trajectory of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and the youth of Bharat will move upwards together. Therefore, all of you should not waste even a moment in working hard. In the past 10 years, extensive work has been done in every sector whether it is skill development, employment or self-employment. Emphasis is being placed on utilizing the talent and skills of youth to the maximum. A new National Education Policy has been formulated to prepare you for the new challenges of the new century. Today, thousands of schools across the country are being made smart under the PM SHRI School Campaign. In the past decade, there has been unprecedented growth in colleges, universities, and institutions related to professional education. In the past 10 years, there has also been significant improvement in the global ranking of Indian universities. The number of medical colleges in Bharat has seen a record increase, with a significant increase in medical seats as well. New IITs and AIIMS have been established in several states. Sectors like defence, space, and mapping have been opened up for young talent by the government. A new law has also been enacted to promote research. All these efforts are for you, my young friends, for the youth of Bharat.

Friends,

You often see me talk about ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Both of these campaigns are also for young people like you. Both these campaigns are providing new opportunities for employment to the youth of Bharat. With the government's efforts in the past 10 years, Bharat’s digital economy will become a new strength of our youth power, a new identity of our youth power. A decade ago it was difficult to even think that Bharat could also become a leading digital economy. The word ‘start-ups’ didn't even come up in normal conversations. Today, Bharat has become the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem. Today, every child talks about start-ups and unicorns. Today, there are over 1.25 lakh registered start-ups and over 100 unicorns in Bharat. Millions of young people are doing quality jobs in these start-ups. Even in these start-ups, most are directly benefiting from Digital India. A decade ago, where we were struggling only for 2G-3G, today 5G is reaching every village. Optical fiber is reaching every village.

Friends,

When we used to import most of our mobile phones from abroad, they were so expensive that most young people couldn't afford them at that time. Today, Bharat is the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer and the second-largest exporter as well. This has made your mobile phone cheaper. But you also know that the importance of a phone is nothing without data. We have formulated policies so that today Bharat is one of the countries providing the cheapest data in the world.

Friends,

Today, the growth of e-commerce, online shopping, home delivery, online education, and remote healthcare in the country is not a coincidence. Youth creativity has benefited the most from the digital revolution that has occurred in Bharat over the past 10 years. Look at how much digital content creation has expanded in Bharat today. This has become a significant economy in itself. Over the past 10 years, more than five lakh Common Service Centres have been established in villages across the country. Millions of young people are working in these centres. There are many examples that show how Digital India is empowering both convenience and employment.

My young friends,

A government is one that formulates policies and makes decisions in the present while considering future possibilities. A government is one that clarifies its priorities. There was a time when border area development was largely ignored in our country. The previous government used to say that building roads on the border would make it easier for the enemy. The villages situated near the border were then considered the last villages. Our government has changed this mindset. The villages that were once considered the last villages by the previous government are now considered the first villages by our government. Today, the Vibrant Village Scheme is being implemented for the development of these villages. Many sarpanches from these villages are also present in this program today. They are watching you, observing your energy, and are happy. These same villages on the border are poised to become major centres for tourism in the future. I would like you to learn more about the Vibrant Village program.

My young friends,

‘Viksit Bharat’ will fulfill your dreams. Therefore, your participation is crucial in the ongoing work of building ‘Viksit Bharat’. For young people like you, the government has also established Mera Yuva Bharat i.e., MY Bharat. This has become the largest organization for the youth of 21st-century Bharat. In just three months, more than one crore young people have already registered in it. I urge all young people like you to register yourselves in the Mera Yuva Bharat organization. You can also provide your suggestions for ‘Viksit Bharat’ by visiting MyGov. Your dreams will come true only through your participation. You are the architects of ‘Viksit Bharat’. I have full confidence in you, in the country's young generation. Once again, congratulations to all of you for this magnificent event. You deserve it, and I wish you all the best for the future! Say it with me:

Bharat Mata Ki—Jai!

Bharat Mata Ki—Jai!

Bharat Mata Ki—Jai!

Thank you very much. 

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

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DS/VJ/VK/AK