Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a series of initiatives and ambitious targets spanning artificial intelligence (AI), education, sports, civil defence, semiconductor manufacturing, nuclear energy and women-led development.

The Prime Minister announced that one crore youth would be trained in AI skills over the next one year. Referring to the rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence, he said the initiative would help equip India’s youth with the capability to lead in the world of AI, according to an official release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on August 15, 2026.

The Prime Minister announced free online coaching for youth preparing for various examinations. Referring to the financial burden of coaching classes on poor and middle-class families, he said Digital Public Infrastructure, available talent and teachers would be brought together to create a complete network for providing free coaching to the country’s youth.

The Prime Minister highlighted the critical role of semiconductor chips in the digital and technological world and said India was moving towards self-reliance in this sector. He said three semiconductor plants had already started and production from these facilities had begun to be exported. The Prime Minister further said that another five-seven or eight semiconductor plants would come up in the coming seven-eight years, and described self-reliance in semiconductors as a pathway towards Viksit Bharat.

Highlighting the growing energy requirements of chips, AI and data centres, the Prime Minister underlined the importance of energy security and nuclear power.

Source link