Aatmanirbhar Bharat: 1.3 billion Indians embarking on one mission, says Modi

NATIONAL | Sept 04, 2020:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that 1.3 billion Indians have embarked on one mission to make an Aatmanirbhar Bharat which merges the local with the global.

Delivering a keynote address at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum last evening, Modi said, India has shown time and again that its goal is global good.

He said Aatmanirbhar Bharat is about transforming India from being just a passive market to an active manufacturing hub at the heart of global value chains.

The Prime Minister said the current COVID-19 situation demands a fresh mindset where the approach to development is human-centric. He said the pandemic has shown the world that decision on developing global supply chains should be based not only on costs but also on trust.

He added that along with the affordability of geography, companies are now also looking for reliability and policy stability. He stressed that India is the location which has all these qualities.

The Prime Minister said India offers diverse opportunities in the public as well as the private sector.

They cover core economic sectors as well as social sectors. Recent sectors that have opened include Coal, Mining, Railways, Defence, Space and Atomic Energy.

The Prime Minister said, there is a need to focus on ramping capacities, securing the poor, future-proofing citizens.

Modi highlighted that 800 million Indians are being provided support during the time of the pandemic. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana is among the largest support systems seen anywhere globally, he said.

The Prime Minister said India was among the first countries to advocate the use of masks and face coverings as a public health measure. India was also among the earliest to create public awareness campaigns about social distancing.