Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from Red Fort after hoisting the national flag on the occasion of Independence Day. During his speech, PM Modi spoke about India’s success during Operation Sindoor, farmers’ welfare and launched multiple schemes.  One key announcement was the new GST reforms, set to kick in by Diwali and aimed at lowering the prices of daily-use commodities across the country.

PM Modi said after eight years of implementing the Goods and Services Tax, the government believes it is time to review the system. The upcoming reforms are being positioned as a Diwali bonanza, a gift for the people, traders, industries, and MSMEs.

“This Diwali, I am going to make it a double Diwali for you… Over the past eight years, we have undertaken a major reform in GST… We are bringing next-generation GST reforms. This will reduce the tax burden across the country,” he said. 

He announced that India will launch Mission Sudarshan Chakra to develop a powerful weapon system aimed at thwarting any attempts by enemies to attack the country.

He also stated that the government will use the latest technological tools to secure strategic, civilian and religious places across the country. The announcements underscore the government’s focus on strengthening national security through advanced technology and defense preparedness.

“We have chosen the path of Lord Krishna’s Sudarshan Chakra. For the security of the country and its citizens, we will continue to upgrade our capabilities. Speaking from the Red Fort, I assure you that in the next 10 years, whether it is a place of strategic importance, a civilian area, or our centres of faith, we will build a ‘Rashtriya Suraksha Kavach’ to withstand any attack,” he said. 

Prime Minister also hailed Operation Sindoor, India’s military action to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack. He said the Indian Armed Forces punished Pakistan in a way that they will never forget and any misadventure will be strongly dealt with in future.   

“I salute our bravehearts who carried out Operation Sindoor. Our brave soldiers punished enemies beyond their imagination. The terrorists carried out bloodshed, so we punish our enemies. India was furious after Pahalgam”. 

In a stark warning to Pakistan, PM Modi said India won’t tolerate any nuclear blackmail. Nuclear blackmail has been continuing for a long time, but it will no longer be tolerated. If our enemies persist in such attempts, our armed forces will respond. Our forces will do so on their own terms, at a time of their choosing, and by achieving the objectives they set. We are ready to give a befitting reply,” he said.

Narendra Modiannounced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana. This Rs 1 lakh crore mega employment initiative takes effect immediately. The scheme aims to create job opportunities for nearly 3.5 crore young people across the country.

“There is good news for the youth of the country. On Independence Day, we are implementing the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana, a Rs 1 lakh crore project, from today onwards. This will create job opportunities for almost 3 crore youths of the country,” Modi said.

Under the scheme, every young person securing their first job will receive an incentive of Rs 15,000. The programme seeks to make the job market more accessible and rewarding for fresh entrants, enabling them to establish themselves in various industries.