Independence Day 2026: India Has Moved From ‘Fragile Five’ to Fastest-Growing Major Economy, Says PM Narendra Modi (Video)
Addressing the nation, PM Modi emphasized that India has shed its former classification as one of the world's 'Fragile Five' emerging economies, transforming over the past 12 years into a major global economic driver and the world's fastest-growing major economy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday highlighted India's economic transformation over the past 12 years, saying the country has moved from being counted among the world's “Fragile Five” economies to becoming the fastest-growing major economy. Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on India's 80th Independence Day, Modi linked the economic progress to the efforts and capabilities of India's 140 crore citizens and called for bigger ambitions ahead of 2047, according to a report.
Modi Highlights Economic Transformation
Referring to India's earlier economic challenges, Modi said the country was once viewed among the “Fragile Five” but has since made significant progress. “We were once among Fragile Five, now fastest-growing economy,” he said, according to Moneycontrol. Independence Day 2026: Nation Becomes Great When It Moves Forward on Strength of Its Dreams, Says PM Narendra Modi (Video).
PM Modi Addresses Nation on 80th Independence Day
VIDEO | Independence Day 2026: Addressing the nation from ramparts of Red Fort, PM Modi (@narendramodi) says, "The country became independent with many dreams, but we could not pick up the pace or accelerate. We remained stuck in an attitude of 'it will happen, let's see'. By… pic.twitter.com/f5Arhqc4ju
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 15, 2026
Addressing the nation on Independence Day.https://t.co/Q67F6cB96x
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2026
PM Modi Says India No Longer Among 'Fragile Five'
The Prime Minister said the country's development momentum had strengthened over the past 12 years. He pointed to growth across sectors including defence production, electronics, khadi and village industries, railway manufacturing and mobile phone production.
According to figures cited in his speech, defence production has increased nearly fourfold, khadi and village industries production nearly fivefold and electronics manufacturing nearly sevenfold. Modern railway coach production, he said, has risen 21 times, while mobile phone production has increased 33 times. Independence Day 2026: PM Narendra Modi Hoists Tricolour at Red Fort; Vande Mataram Rendered for the First Time During Celebrations (Pics and Videos).
Focus on Viksit Bharat 2047
A central theme of Modi's address was the goal of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047, when the country completes 100 years of Independence.
The Prime Minister urged citizens to set larger goals and said India's development would depend on its ability to combine ambition with determination and capability. He called on people to “dream big” and make a commitment to achieving the developed-India target. Modi said India's progress should not be limited by small ambitions and argued that bigger national goals can broaden people's thinking and outlook.
Youth and National Development
The Prime Minister also placed emphasis on the role of young Indians in achieving the Viksit Bharat objective.
The 2026 Independence Day programme highlighted “Yuva Shakti” and the contribution of young people to India's development journey. Modi said the country's future progress would require citizens to maintain a high level of resolve while dealing with challenges.
His remarks came as the government continues to frame manufacturing, technology, defence production and self-reliance as important components of its longer-term economic strategy.
Vande Mataram Marks Independence Day Ceremony
This year's celebrations also marked 150 years of Vande Mataram. For the first time since Independence, the National Song was rendered as part of the Independence Day programme at the Red Fort.
Modi said the song continued to represent the country's national spirit and linked it with the Tricolour and the celebrations marking 80 years of Independence.
Assurance to Flood-Affected Families
The Prime Minister also addressed the impact of recent floods and landslides in parts of the country. Expressing solidarity with affected families, Modi said the country stood with them and assured them of support. The remarks added a focus on immediate relief and support alongside the broader economic and development agenda outlined in the speech.
A Longer-Term Economic Ambition
Modi's Independence Day address combined claims about India's economic progress with a call for faster development over the next two decades. His central message was that the country should build on its recent gains while setting a clear target of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
The speech therefore placed economic growth, manufacturing capacity, national capability and citizen participation at the centre of the government's vision for India's next phase of development.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2026 08:44 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
