Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on India's 80th Independence Day, placed global economic ambition at the heart of his vision for a developed India.
He called upon citizens, businesses and institutions to think beyond existing achievements and aimed for a strong presence among the world's leading companies.
Emphasing the a nation is built not only by its government but by every citizen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India must awaken its collective strength. He challenged the Country to set larger targets, particularly in sectors that can shape India's position in the global economy.
One of his most striking goals was for 50 Indian companies to enter the Fortune 500 in the coming decade. The target reflects an ambition to see Indian businesses expand their scale, competitiveness and international footprint.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the transformation of India’s banking sector. He said that at least one Indian bank should rank among the world’s top five banks. The statement underlined the need for Indian financial institutions to grow into globally recognised institutions capable of competing with the biggest banks worldwide.
VIDEO | Independence Day 2026: Addressing the nation from ramparts of Red Fort, PM Modi, says, "I want to awaken the nation, and I also want to awaken the strength of the nation. A nation is not just about the government... a nation is made up of every citizen. We often hear… pic.twitter.com/bnU1Kav4xu
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The pharmaceutical industry was another major focus. While acknowledging India's progress in Pharmaceuticals, PM Modi called for at least one Indian pharmaceutical company to be among the world’s five largest pharmaceutical companies. The goal signals an emphasis on moving beyond being a major manufacturing and supply hub to creating globally dominant India Pharmaceutucal brands.
Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, which seeks to position India as a developed and globally competitive nation by the centenary of Independence. His Independence Day address also focused on self-reliance, technology, manufacturing, energy security and youth participation.
The message from the Red Fort was clear: India’s next phase of growth must be measured not only by domestic progress but also by its ability to create institutions and companies that stand among the world’s best. With ambitious targets for business, banking and pharmaceuticals, PM Modi urged the nation to dream bigger and turn those ambitions into global achievements.
