Eight Big Ideas For PM Modi's Independence Day Speech

When Prime Minister Modi invited suggestions from the public for ideas regarding his Independence Day speech, Swarajya reached out to leading entrepreneurs, academics, public policy commentators, and authors to ask what they would want included in this year’s address.

Here are their suggestions, compiled thematically and edited for brevity.

1. Urban Regeneration – Now!

By far the most common and passionately argued point was the necessity of an urban rejuvenation. This expectation is not without reason or context.

For one, it stems from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s relationship with urban India. He stands as the first Prime Minister elected primarily as an urban icon.

Unlike previous Prime Ministers who were party veterans, dynasty heirs, or coalition compromises, Modi campaigned for a prosperous, nationalist India that resonated with self-made, newly affluent voters.

This demographic has expanded significantly since 2014 and will shape Indian politics going forward. Urban India has developed a profound, lasting admiration for Modi.

It is only appropriate that the spaces this population resides in receive special attention from the Modi government.

Secondly, it is high time. The past decade of this government has yielded rich dividends at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

Close to 56 crore PMJDY accounts with Rs. 2.62 lakh crore deposits exist today. Nearly 12 crore toilets have been built under Swachh Bharat Mission phases 1 and 2, with open defecation dramatically reduced. India achieved full electrification by 2020. Over 80 per cent of the households in India have piped water today, up from around 17 per cent in 2019.

During this period, India went from being the country with the most people in absolute poverty, to no longer in the top three. India today is not a poor country. In per capita PPP GDP terms, its contemporaries are Lebanon, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan. This multipronged attack on multi-dimensional poverty has been successful.

Therefore, a new paradigm must dominate the political economy.

A country that is no longer poor has no business looking as poor and decrepit as India still does. It must be much more liveable for its aspirational population. The masses who, a decade ago, lived in grinding poverty today seek to live a respectable urban life.

The next decade or two must focus on multidimensional liveability in India. To this end, the government can consider pursuing urban development through three complementary approaches targeting different city categories and governance structures.

First, transform India's top 50 cities through a standardised ideas package focusing on efficient mobility, clean neighbourhoods, and improved air quality. Key components can include 100 per cent sewage treatment, comprehensive drainage infrastructure, 20-year durable roads, a minimum 300 km metro network, and maintaining PM2.5 levels below 50 for at least 100 days annually.

Second, develop model urban clusters from cities with 5–10 lakh populations using greenfield principles on brownfield sites. Ideal candidates for this approach include emerging industrial cities along the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Gift City exemplifies this transformative potential through proactive ground-up planning.

Third, challenge state governments of India's eight largest metropolitan areas to achieve global standards through direct Chief Minister involvement, bypassing traditional municipal governance constraints while enabling focused oversight and implementation.

An ancient, proud civilisation such as ours deserves a modern, efficient, urbanised nation for itself.

2. $10 Trillion GDP By FY35

The one variable which reflects the efforts and commitment of the government and the people to a large extent is the GDP. A target of $10 trillion GDP by FY35 is ambitious, but Independence Day speeches are not meant for sharing ordinary objectives.

Prime Minister Modi should prioritise articulating a comprehensive blueprint to elevate India to a $10 trillion economy by 2034–35. The key to this vision is the urgent need to generate 2 crore jobs annually over the coming decade.

To realise this goal, the government must invest in skill development programmes, fortify the manufacturing sector through initiatives like Make in India, and encourage entrepreneurship and startups via supportive regulatory frameworks and access to capital.

The Prime Minister can also add a personal touch by sharing a few success stories of Make in India and Indian entrepreneurs who saw their vision come to life. Nothing inspires youth more than the success stories of fellow Indians, especially in critical sectors such as technology, infrastructure, and defence, and their intersection.

3. Rooted Innovations, Original Thinking 

As India moves from being the global service factory to becoming a global thought leader and towards higher GDP targets, one area that requires urgent attention is the transformation of its vast and diverse human resources.

India lags in the availability of skilled resources and innovation emerging from their minds. Initiatives such as Skill India are focused on bridging the skill gap. However, a significant quantum of home-grown innovation is needed going forward.

Importantly, these innovations have to be rooted in the context and reality of India. It would be exciting to hear about the need for rooted innovations in the Independence Day speech.

The foundation for such innovations is the decolonisation of our education, an agenda being carried forward by the NEP. Shifting to original thinking in one’s mother tongue would be a great start.

The Prime Minister can talk about the importance of these aspects and urge the country to join hands, adopt NEP, and drive rooted innovations across the country.

4. Don’t Go Slow On Railways Modernisation

Railways remains one sector with capacious room for both new and big ideas, and public investment.

Here are some big ideas related to the railways for the Prime Minister to consider for his Independence Day speech.

Second, premium speed networks: establish a 20,000 km network combining high-speed (300 km/h) and semi-high-speed (160 km/h) services, creating parallel premium offerings while maintaining mass transit accessibility.

Third, service standardisation: implement Vande Bharat trains, including sleeper variants, as the standardised backbone for nationwide passenger services.

Fourth, freight infrastructure expansion: accelerate Dedicated Freight Corridors connecting east-west, east coast, and west-south routes to enhance railway revenues and reduce passenger traffic congestion.

5. One Bharat, One Road Tax

India’s road network has grown rapidly, now spanning 63.32 lakh km, the second largest in the world. This has been fuelled by a 59 per cent increase in national highways over the past nine years.

This expansion has boosted economic growth, logistics, and connectivity, alongside a sharp rise in vehicle ownership. India now hosts the world’s third-largest automobile industry, contributing 6–7 per cent to GDP, with registered vehicles growing at nearly 10 per cent annually from 2010 to 2020.

However, seamless mobility is hindered by India’s fragmented road tax system. Road tax rates vary widely across states, ranging from 2 per cent to 18 per cent, based on differing parameters like weight, price, and engine capacity.

This disparity drives cross-border vehicle purchases, complicates transfers, and burdens owners with duplicate taxes during relocation or resale. Refunds are rare and cumbersome, particularly affecting the booming pre-owned vehicle market.

While the BH Series number plates introduced by MoRTH partially address interstate re-registration issues, eligibility remains limited, and tax rates higher.

A One Bharat, One Road Tax framework would harmonise rates nationwide, prevent tax evasion, ease ownership and disposal, and streamline inter-state vehicle sales.

This reform, combined with digitised RTO operations and clear compliance processes, would benefit consumers, manufacturers, dealers, start-ups, and governments alike by removing a key barrier to mobility.

6. Government-Industry-Academia Troika for Domination in Space Technology

The global space economy is expanding at an unprecedented pace, projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030. What was once the exclusive domain of government space agencies like NASA and ISRO is now being transformed by the active participation of private industry and academic institutions.

Across the world, space is becoming a driver of economic development, national security, and scientific innovation.

While private projects and innovations are sprouting in India, the sector still remains dominated by the government.

To fully leverage this moment in the arc of the space sector, India must shift from a government-centric model to a more collaborative framework that brings together government, industry, and academia.

While the government’s contribution to India’s space sector cannot be undermined, the future lies in empowering universities to pursue cutting-edge research, enabling private companies to build new markets, and supporting start-ups in emerging areas such as space manufacturing, microgravity research, and orbital services.

This tripartite partnership can catalyse indigenous technology development, reduce reliance on imports, and create a robust ecosystem for innovation.

Crucially, it can generate thousands of high-quality jobs in areas ranging from engineering and materials science to AI and data analytics, feeding into both upstream (launch and satellite) and downstream (applications and services) segments of the space economy.

Public funds should target collaborative R&D, shared infrastructure, and open testing facilities, while academia aligns curricula with space-sector needs.

A strong government-industry-academia troika is not just desirable; it is essential for ensuring that the benefits of the expanding space economy reach the wider population, catalyse job creation, and make India a hub for futuristic space innovation.

7. Innovative Boost For R&D

India trails behind peer nations in scientific R&D. The country has the talent but lacks intent.

The government could introduce a special 10-year R&D capitalisation framework.

First, let companies treat R&D spending as a capital asset, depreciating it over time.

Second, match part of these costs with government grants, especially in defence, biotechnology, renewable energy, battery technology, and transport equipment.

This R&D-linked incentive programme, with legislative backing and a fixed end date, could trigger major private-sector R&D investment.

8. Hundred World-Class Museums

Recent projects such as the PM Sangrahalaya, Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum, Vadnagar Archaeological Experience Museum, and National Maritime Heritage Complex are a start, but the country’s vast heritage needs wider coverage.

Well-designed museums can combine tradition and technology to attract both Indian and global visitors.

The government could urge the 50 largest cities and major corporations to build museums, offering matching funds to cities and tax breaks to companies.