Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled a seven-point reform agenda, or ‘Shakti ki Saptdhara’, calling it the foundation for the next generation of reforms and a roadmap to achieve Viksit Bharat (developed India).
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, PM Modi invoked the ancient reference to ‘Sapta Sindhu’, or seven rivers, and said India needed a “new current” of development to realise its ambitions.
“Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I invoke the ‘Saptdhara’ of strength before the nation. In the coming five to seven years, what could not be achieved in the last five to seven decades, through the prowess and power of this ‘Saptdhara’, we will give the nation new heights, new momentum, and the capability to surpass new goals,” PM Modi said.
The seven streams identified by PM Modi are – manufacturing; agriculture and food processing; technology and innovation; Gati Shakti or high-speed connectivity; Raksha Shakti or defence capability; the green and blue economy; and India’s soft power.
The agenda builds on PM Modi’s earlier call for ‘Panch Pran’, or five resolves, announced from the Red Fort in 2022 as India marked 75 years of Independence. The five pledges were to make India a developed nation, shed the colonial mindset, take pride in India’s heritage, strengthen unity and fulfil citizens’ duties.
At the top of the Saptdhara is manufacturing, with PM Modi calling for Indian products to become globally competitive on cost, quality and scale.
“When the world is thinking about itself, India cannot remain merely a market for the world. We have to become global suppliers,” he said, stressing the need to strengthen domestic manufacturing.
The second stream is agriculture and food production. PM Modi said global markets were opening up for Indian farmers and that free trade agreements were creating new opportunities for exports.
“We must go from the farm to the export market,” he said, calling for Indian spices, millets, traditional cuisine, fruits and flowers to become global brands.
The third stream is technology and innovation, with PM Modi identifying artificial intelligence, quantum technology, space, robotics and data centres as key areas for India. “Today is the era of AI, quantum, space, robotics, and data centres,” he said, adding that India must become a global hub of innovation.
The Prime Minister pointed to India’s experience with UPI and Digital Public Infrastructure and said the next goal should be to take such technologies across the world. He also called for India to lead in next-generation communication technology, with **Made-in-India 6G** reaching every corner of the country.
The fourth stream, Gati Shakti, focusses on seamless and high-speed connectivity. PM Modi said cities must be linked through high-speed rail and stressed the importance of port-led development.
The fifth stream, Raksha Shakti, centres on defence self-reliance. The Prime Minister said India must move beyond being a market for global defence companies and become a major supplier.
He called for greater focus on next-generation defence technologies, including hypersonic systems, saying India should seek global leadership in the field.
The sixth stream is the green and blue economy. PM Modi said India should aim for global leadership in green hydrogen, renewable energy and energy storage while contributing solutions to global environmental challenges.
He also highlighted the potential of the blue economy, including fisheries, coastal tourism and ocean technology, as new avenues of growth.
The seventh and final stream is India’s soft power. PM Modi highlighted Yoga, Ayurveda, holistic health, tourism and India's creative and cultural strengths as areas through which India can expand its global influence.
“Today, Yoga has connected the entire world with India,” he said, describing it as a growing source of global energy and a major source of trust in India.
PM Modi said the potential of India’s youth would be fully harnessed and integrated into nation-building. He said the seven streams would give the country “new heights” and “new momentum” in the coming years.
The Prime Minister said the Saptdhara would complement the broader vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, with the next five to seven years serving as a crucial period for accelerating reforms and development.
