By Isaac Harold Gomes
Kolkata, August 17, 2026: In his address from Delhi’s Red Fort on India’s 80th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon all Indians to embrace of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ and exhorted all manufacturers, especially India’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to make full use of “Sapta Dhara” (the Seven Streams of Strength) opportunities.
Modi added that Indian textiles, machinery and medicines have significant potential in global markets and reiterated that Indian manufacturers must ensure that their products reach world markets being cost-competitive and of high quality.
Modi said, alongside this, the immense potential of youth will be fully harnessed for building a stronger and more developed India. The first stream outlined by the Prime Minister is manufacturing.
He said the second power of this Sapta Dhara is Agriculture and Food Production, the third is Technology and Innovation, the fourth is Gati Shakti, the fifth is Defence capabilities, the sixth power is the Green Economy and blue economy, and the seventh stream of Sapta Dhara is India’s Soft Power.
“Sapta Dhara” (the Seven Streams of Strength)
This framework for reform identifies seven core sectors intended to power India’s next phase of economic, strategic, and societal growth.
• Manufacturing Power: Scaling up domestic production across the full value chain—from components and design to finished goods—to position India as a trusted global supply chain hub.
• Food Production (Agriculture) and Food Processing: Advancing the rural economy through modernization, value addition, and enhanced food processing capabilities.
• Technology and Innovation: Expanding the digital and emerging tech ecosystem, focusing on data centres, robotics, and next-gen innovations.
• Gati Shakti: The PM Gati Shakti Yojana, also known as National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity, is a national master plan aimed at transforming India’s infrastructure by ensuring integrated and coordinated development of key transport and logistics networks namely roads, railways, ports, and airports.
The scheme seeks to enable faster movement of goods and services, reduce logistics costs and transit time, and enhance India’s overall economic competitiveness.
The initiative relies heavily on digital platforms and geospatial technology.
• Raksha Shakti (Defence Production): Achieving self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) in defence manufacturing and emerging as a global military technology supplier.
But how ethical is the proposition of exporting weapons of mass destruction in the name of Aatmanirbhar Bharat?
• Green and Blue Economy: Prioritizing green hydrogen, renewable energy generation, energy storage, and green mobility.
Modi said energy security is one of the major requirements of the present times and the government has taken several significant steps in this direction. He said nuclear energy is an important means of ensuring a country’s energy security.
• Soft Power: Leveraging India’s cultural footprint/tourism centres, including Ayurveda, healthcare, Yoga, creative media, gaming, animation, and digital content.
In soft power, Education is the mother of all. The Prime Minister has consciously left this out, especially equitable access to Quality Education for all and fluency in international languages, including English, for competitive edge.
India’s blue economy focuses on the sustainable use of oceans, rivers, lakes, and coastal resources for economic growth, better jobs, and ocean health.
Contributing about 4% to India’s GDP, it relies on a 7,500+ km coastline, an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) over 2 million square kilometres.
• India is a top global fish producer, supporting tens of millions of coastal livelihoods and driving seafood exports.
• Around 95% of India’s trade volume moves via sea routes, backed by major port expansion projects.
• Growing investments target offshore wind energy and deep-sea mineral exploration via the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• Developing beach destinations and promoting eco-tourism while seeking sustainability certifications.
• Improving incomes, cold-chain infrastructure, and safety for traditional fishing communities, while balancing commercial extraction against rising threats of overfishing, habitat loss, marine plastic pollution and protecting vital blue carbon ecosystems like mangroves through national initiatives.
Modi said that a talent hunt will be launched across villages, cities and schools to identify talent among 05–15-year children; they will be given special training to help them become good players to represent India.
But for this, first the basic infrastructure namely good gymnasia, athletic tracks, proper fields, outdoor and indoor stadiums must be built in every district. If the process is right, the desired results will follow.
Regarding Empowerment of Women, Modiji said the Women’s 33% Reservation Bill was a “victim of vendetta” and “the need of the hour.”
But why doesn’t he take the lead by immediately implementing it first in his own party and then among his MPs and MLAs on a rotational basis?
Why is he making it contingent upon Census (final reports expected by late 2028) and Delimitation (likely completion 2031-32)?
Above all, Modi always cites his tenure as the landmark of India’s success.
But is it practical to make the world believe that all the advancements of India in educational, health, infrastructure, scientific, space research, food sufficiency and India’s position among the top global economies (third rank globally in Purchasing Power Parity) happened within 12 years of his regime?
The Prime Minister must be gracious enough to give due credit to his predecessors!