Bhavnagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stressed that India’s biggest challenge was its dependence on other nations and said self-reliance was the only solution. Speaking at the ‘Samudra se Samruddhi’ event at Gandhi Maidan in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of projects worth ₹34,200 crore.
“In reality, India has no major external enemy. Our only enemy is dependence on other countries. The more we rely on others, the higher our chances of failure,” he said, adding, “From chips to ships, we must produce everything in India. For peace, stability, and prosperity, the world’s most populous country must become self-reliant.”
Calling atmanirbharta (self-reliance) the “only medicine” for India’s problems, Modi pointed out that the country spends ₹6 lakh crore every year on foreign shipping services — nearly equal to the defence budget. Fifty years ago, he noted, 40% of India’s trade used Indian-built ships, but today that share has fallen to just 5%.
The prime minister highlighted his government’s move to classify large ships as infrastructure, calling it a “historic decision” to boost the maritime sector. “India’s ports are the backbone of our rise as a global maritime powerhouse,” he said.
Criticising past Congress governments, Modi alleged they stifled Indian talent by imposing restrictive policies like the licence raj.
