PM Modi urges people to embrace 'swadeshi' spirit amid 'global economic uncertainty'

The prime minister's renewed push for 'swadeshi' (indigenous) comes amid the US announcing tariffs on exports from about 70 nations, including India.

Varanasi: Amid the trade standoff with the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday dropped clear hints that India would protect its economic interests and said that farmers, small industries and employment were on top of the government’s priority.

Addressing a public meeting in his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi, Modi said that the world economy was passing through a critical period and that India would need to remain alert about its economic interests.

‘’There is an atmosphere of instability in the world … every country is focusing on its own interests … India is set to become the third-largest economy in the world and so India will have to remain vigilant about its economic interests … We will do whatever is in the interest of the country,’’ the PM said.

He said that the government was doing everything possible in the interest of the country and those who, even the political parties, want to see India as the third-largest economy should forget their differences and take a pledge to promote indigenous products.

‘’We need to be vocal for local … people should take pledge to buy those things which are made in India ... we will promote Make in India,’’ he added.

Modi’s remarks came amid a trade standoff with the US and imposition of 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports and also in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s remarks describing the Indian economy as ‘dead’.

The prime minister also referred to Operation Sindoor and attacked the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) for terming the action as ‘tamasha’ (sham).

He said that he had fulfilled his promise to avenge the killing of 26 people at Pahalgam by Pakistan-backed terrorists.

‘’It is unfortunate that some people in the country are having stomach pain because of the success of Operation Sindoor … the Congress and its allies are not able to digest the fact India demolished the terrorist hubs in Pakistan … Congress has called the Operation Sindoor a tamasha … you (people) tell me can it be a tamasha?,’’ he said.

‘’Should we wait to kill the terrorists? ... Should I call the SP and ask if we should kill them,’’ he added.

Modi said that the world saw the strength of indigenous weapons during Operation Sindoor. ‘’India proved its self-dependence in the field of air defence, missiles and drones,’’ the prime minister said.

The PM also launched and dedicated development projects worth Rs 2,183 crore on this occasion and transferred ‘Kisan Samman Nidhi’ in the accounts of the farmers.