Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reiterated the importance of self-reliance for India in the current global environment, emphasising that the government is committed to creating maximum employment opportunities, particularly for the country’s youth.
Self-reliance vital in global context
Addressing a virtual event, Modi highlighted that in a rapidly changing world, India must prioritise self-sufficiency across sectors. “In today’s world, self-reliance is not just a choice, but a necessity,” he said, urging citizens to prefer indigenous products and traders to promote “swadeshi” goods. He added that true patriotism lies in supporting domestic industries, beyond mere slogans.
Employment generation for youth
Modi underscored that his government’s policies are focused on ensuring gainful employment for the country’s burgeoning youth population. He cited initiatives such as the Skill India Mission, which has trained crores of young people in various fields, and Start-Up India and Mudra Yojana, which have fostered entrepreneurship. Under Mudra Yojana, loans worth ₹33 lakh crore have been disbursed to support self-employment ventures, he noted.
Global opportunities for Indian workforce
Observing demographic changes worldwide, Modi said that while many nations face labour shortages due to ageing populations, India’s young workforce is a unique advantage. “If our youth are skilled, there will be no dearth of opportunities, not just in India but globally,” he remarked, pointing to prospects in sectors like healthcare, space technology, and education.
Government’s new employment-linked initiatives
The Prime Minister also referred to recent measures such as the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), launched on Independence Day 2025, which aims to create over 3.5 crore jobs within two years with an outlay of ₹99,446 crore. The scheme provides wage support and incentives to employers to encourage formal job creation. This is in addition to the Cabinet-approved Employment-Linked Incentive plan worth nearly ₹1 lakh crore to boost job generation from August 2025 to July 2027.
Push for manufacturing and technology
Reaffirming his vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat, Modi said the government is working to make India self-sufficient in critical sectors, including semiconductors, fertilisers, electric vehicle batteries, and jet engine manufacturing. He emphasised that reducing dependency on imports is crucial to safeguarding the nation’s economic future.
Conclusion
The Prime Minister’s remarks reflect a dual focus on building domestic capacity and harnessing India’s demographic dividend. By linking self-reliance with employment creation, the government aims to transform India into a global manufacturing hub while ensuring economic security for its citizens.