Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled a seven-point ‘Saptadhara’ reform framework to accelerate India's journey towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, calling for sweeping changes in manufacturing, agriculture, technology, infrastructure, defence, the green and blue economy, and India's global influence.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, Modi said India needed a new set of streams of strength to drive its development journey, drawing a parallel with the ancient reference to the ‘Sapta Sindhu’, or seven rivers.
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“Today, I would also like to recall that era when the nation knew, understood, and heard of India's prowess in the form of the 'Sapta Sindhu'. Now, to build a Viksit Bharat, we need a new current. Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I invoke the 'Saptadhara' of strength before the nation,” Modi said.
Deep Dive
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“In the coming 5 to 7 years, what could not be achieved in the last 5 to 7 decades, through the prowess and power of this Saptadhara, we will give the nation new heights, new momentum, and the capability to surpass new goals,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“In the coming 5 to 7 years, what could not be achieved in the last 5 to 7 decades, through the prowess and power of this Saptadhara, we will give the nation new heights, new momentum, and the capability to surpass new goals,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The seven streams outlined by Modi are Manufacturing Power; Agriculture and Food Processing; Technology and Innovation; Gati Shakti; Defence Shakti and Aatmanirbhar Defence; Green Economy and Blue Economy; and India's Soft Power.
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1. Manufacturing Power
Modi said India must take its manufacturing sector to a new level and become a trusted hub in global supply chains.
“When I speak of the Saptadhara, the first stream of strength is manufacturing power,” Modi said.
He called for the entire value chain, from components and design to finished products, to be developed within India. He said Indian manufacturing must compete globally on cost, quality and scale, with zero-defect and precision manufacturing becoming India's identity.
2. Agriculture & Food Processing
The second stream focuses on agriculture and food processing, with the aim of positioning India as a global food powerhouse.
Modi linked the sector to India's export ambitions and the need to create greater value from agricultural production. He also highlighted the government's efforts to protect farmers from volatility in global fertiliser prices.
He said a bag of urea that costs around ₹3,000 in the international market is being provided to Indian farmers for ₹300. Similarly, DAP, which he said costs around ₹5,000 in the global market, is being provided at ₹1,350.
3. Technology & Innovation
Technology and innovation form the third stream of the Saptadhara, with Modi positioning them as key drivers of India's future growth.
The focus is on strengthening India's technological capabilities and ensuring that innovation becomes an important engine of the Viksit Bharat journey.
4. Gati Shakti
The fourth stream is Gati Shakti, centred on building world-class, high-speed connectivity and infrastructure.
Modi said seamless connectivity would be critical to India's economic expansion, helping goods, services and people move faster while strengthening the country's infrastructure and competitiveness.
5. Defence Shakti & Aatmanirbhar Defence
The fifth stream is Defence Shakti and Aatmanirbhar Defence, aimed at strengthening India's national security through self-reliance.
Modi's emphasis on defence self-reliance comes amid his broader argument that countries are increasingly seeking to secure their own strategic resources and supplies.
He said resources ranging from petrol and diesel to fertilisers, medicines and technology chips were being “weaponised” globally. In such an environment, he argued, India's push for self-reliance had become increasingly important.
6. Green Economy & Blue Economy
The sixth stream combines the green economy and blue economy, focusing on sustainable growth across India's land and maritime sectors.
Modi also highlighted the potential for India's vast coastline and fishing communities to benefit from expanding global trade opportunities.
He cited India's free trade agreements and said sectors such as seafood could use greater access to international markets to increase exports.
7. India's Soft Power
The seventh stream is India's soft power, reflecting the country's ambition to expand its global cultural and diplomatic influence.
He said India had entered into FTA agreements with nearly 40 countries since 2014 and urged Indian businesses, particularly MSMEs, to seize the opportunity to take Indian products to global markets.
“Every Indian product must reach global markets,” Modi said, while stressing that Indian products would need to meet global standards on quality and price.
‘Reform Express’ to accelerate Viksit Bharat journey
Modi said achieving the goal of a developed India by 2047 would require a change in India's work culture, thinking and pace of execution.
“We will have to reform our traditional systems. We will have to reform our thinking. We will have to reform the way we set our goals. And therefore, my dear countrymen, we will have to move forward with a clear direction,” he said.
Calling the initiative a “Reform Express”, Modi said the next five to seven years would be crucial.
“The work that was not done in the past five to seven decades has to be completed in the coming five to seven years,” he said.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence in India's youth, women, farmers and workers, saying their energy and capabilities would be fully harnessed for nation-building as India works towards the Viksit Bharat@2047 goal.