Modi promises India ‘thousand years of greatness’ after ‘thousand years of enslavement’

Rising over the past decade from tenth to fifth place among the world’s economies, India is becoming the “voice of the global South” in an era of global transformation comparable to the “post-World War II” era. This was announced on August 15 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an address to the nation in the Red Fort of Delhi on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of independence.

This is the tenth in a row and the last statement before the 2024 elections by the Prime Minister in honor of this national holiday. Modi promised fellow citizens that from fifth place achieved during his tenure, India will become the world’s third largest economy “in the next five years”, as the fight against poverty and the growth of the welfare of Indians will continue.

“India is becoming the voice of the global South, its prosperity is becoming an opportunity for the whole world. We carry the promise of stability to the world. Reform, execute, transform is our motto,” Modi said.

He recalled the current global socio-economic risks and challenges that the country intends to deal with as the chairman of the G20. According to him, at the moment, India is identified as Vishwamitra (Vedic sage, who is credited with the authorship of most of the third mandala of the Rigveda).

In the history of India there were “1000 years of enslavement” until 1947, when she finally freed herself from British colonial rule. He also paid tribute to the heroes of the Indian national liberation struggle, including Mahatma Gandhi and Sri Aurobindo, who fought the British Raj, among others.

Now, according to the Prime Minister of India, the country will have “1000 years of greatness” ahead. The latter, according to Modi, will be achieved through economic and social transformation through resources such as “demography, democracy and diversity.”

At the same time, the Indian Prime Minister also mentioned the tragic events in the state of Manipur. There, in May-July of this year, at least 130 people were killed and 60,000 became refugees in clashes that turned into pogroms between representatives of the Kuki (mostly Christians) and Meithei (Manipuri, mostly Hindu) peoples. In this regard, troops had to be sent to the state.

The Indian Independence Day ceremony was held at the Red Fort (Lal Qila) and on the square next to it in the center of Delhi. Prime Minister Modi arrived there early in the morning, around 7:00 am local time.

In the center of Delhi during the ceremony, increased security measures were in place. Spectators, including honored guests, were forbidden to carry bags and backpacks, office equipment, chargers, including portable batteries, thermoses, water bottles inside the cordon. Professional photo and video filming was also prohibited (everyone except accredited persons).

Local authorities blocked traffic in the center of the country’s capital until the evening.

Having received a report from the commander of the guard of honor to the music of a military band, the head of state went to the ancient citadel, where he raised the national flag of India. At the same time, unlike the January holiday – Republic Day – military equipment is not involved in the ceremony and there is no air parade.

Then, from the walls of the Red Fort, Modi addressed the nation with more than an hour of speech.

Among the foreign guests of honor in Prime Minister Modi’s speech was, in particular, a delegation of US congressmen led by Senator of Indian origin from Michigan Shri Tanedar.

On June 21, the Prime Minister of India visited Washington, where he met with US President Joe Biden, discussing with him contracts for the purchase of weapons, in particular drones, as well as technology transfer, including in the military-industrial complex. In the US capital, Modi noted that “ties between New Delhi and Washington are stronger and deeper than ever,” while highlighting the country’s claim to leadership in the “global South.”

In their turn, on August 15 in Delhi, after attending the ceremony, the American congressmen met with Indian President Draupadi Murmu and members of the government, who were performing representative functions, discussing, among other things, issues of military-technical cooperation. The ceremony was also attended by other foreign guests, including diplomats from countries friendly to India and businessmen.

In addition to foreigners, Modi’s address was listened to by 1,800 honored guests from all over India of various professions, different walks of life and regions. These are 75 couples from each state and autonomous territory in traditional clothes: farmers, builders, doctors, etc. They were supposed to personify the unity and diversity of India, which Modi mentioned in his speech.

A number of world leaders congratulated Modi on Independence Day. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that India “enjoys well-deserved prestige on the world stage, plays an important constructive role in international affairs.” “The successes achieved by your country in the economic, scientific, technical, social and other fields are generally recognized,” Putin emphasized.

The Russian leader also recalled that Moscow attaches “great importance to the relations of especially privileged strategic partnership” with Delhi both in the economy and in the global and regional agenda.

Russia, according to the Indian Ministry of Commerce, for the first time in history entered the top three largest trade partners of India with a trade turnover of $27.1 amid the continued growth in hydrocarbon supplies. Russian weapons also remain key for the Indian army – 45% of deliveries in 2022 according to SIPRI.

The President of the United States, which, according to the results of January-May 2023, remained India’s second trading partner ($30.4 billion) after China ($41 billion), congratulated Indian Americans on the holiday. As “the world’s oldest and largest democracies,” the US and India have built a strong bond between their peoples, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said.

Among those who congratulated the Indian leader was, in particular, French President Emmanuel Macron, who a month earlier received Modi at the ceremony of the key French national holiday – Bastille Day. According to the French president, Delhi can count on Paris “as a reliable friend.” In a Twitter post, Macron stressed that during their last meeting with Modi, they set “new ambitions” for Indo-French relations and approved their roadmap up to 2047, the 100th anniversary of India’s independence.

As part of his last visit to France, Modi, just like with Biden, negotiated the purchase of weapons, in particular the naval version of the French Rafale-M fighter. At the end of 2022, Paris was the second foreign supplier of weapons to India after Russia, according to SIPRI. As of noon local time, the Indian prime minister was also congratulated by his neighbors – the Foreign Ministers of Sri Lanka and Nepal. Modi was congratulated by Russia’s neighbors and allies in the EAEU and the CSTO: President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, and Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia.