By Chandrachur Singh | 15 Oct 2025
At this critical juncture, with our demographic dividend at its peak and external pressures mounting, PM Modi’s call for self-reliance must be heeded.
In a world where economic interdependence shapes domestic and foreign policies and strategies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent national addresses highlight a pivotal moment for India. On September 21, PM Modi emphasised the importance of self-reliance with a clarion call: “Whatever we can make in our country, we must.” This sentiment was echoed in Rashriya Swayamsewak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Vijyadashmi speech on October 2, commemorating 100 years of the founding of the RSS. He reinforced the importance of self-reliance and swadeshi, arguing that our diplomatic and economic relations ought to be voluntary and not driven by coercion or compulsions. The convergence of these two influential voices — representing both the executive authority of the government and its ideological foundation — is reflective of India’s strategic needs arising out of the stark realities of a globalised world, where economic interdependence is proving to be a double-edged sword.
History is, of course, replete with compelling examples of states that transformed external challenges into internal resilience. In 1854, Japan had to confront the overwhelming technological and military Western prowess when Commodore Perry’s “Black Ships” forced it to open its borders through the unequal Treaty of Kanagawa.