Omkar Dattatray
It is heartening to note that India is moving towards becoming self-reliant in all products—from chip to ship. This is no ordinary development; it carries immense significance for the economy, the people, and the overall progress of the country. Industrialists, businessmen, traders, and, most importantly, the common people of India must all play their part and contribute to this task of nation-building.
It is epoch-making, historic, and unprecedented that the NDA government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched GST Second Generation reforms with the aim of lessening the tax burden on the common man. The implementation of GST 2.0 is nothing short of an economic revolution that will strengthen the nation’s financial foundations.
Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly emphasized that the biggest enemy of the nation is dependence on other countries. According to him, the only tool and strategy to make India a developed nation by 2047 is the mantra of self-reliance. Through this approach, he said, India will achieve real progress and prosperity.
Recently, while addressing the inauguration of Exp Mart at the International Trade Show (UPIES) in Greater Noida, Modi noted that September 21—this year falling on a Sunday—was the birth anniversary of economic ideologue and humanist Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. Recalling Upadhyaya’s philosophy that the fruits of development must reach the last man in the queue, Modi said his government has been working on the doctrine of integral humanism, which serves as its guiding principle.
Modi added that GST and tax reforms will increase people’s income while making most goods and services cheaper. He stressed that reforms will continue in the future as well, both to benefit the common man and to strengthen the economy. The Prime Minister criticized some political parties for spreading confusion about GST reforms, recalling that under Congress rule there was “tax loot and loot on taxes.”
Highlighting India’s manufacturing ambitions, Modi reiterated that the country will produce everything—from chip to ship—becoming fully self-reliant and self-sufficient. He also observed that the idea can be extended to say India will manufacture “everything from pin to aeroplane.” To achieve this, Indian industries must adopt and practice the principle of self-reliance across all sectors.
The Prime Minister underlined that self-reliance is the only mantra for national development. India, he said, will no longer tolerate dependence on other nations. Industrialists must, therefore, develop business models that strengthen domestic capacity. In the fields of digital technology and fintech, Modi noted, the government has pursued integral humanism and inclusive development to ensure that even the common man benefits.
He pointed out how digital payments have revolutionized daily transactions—from tea stalls to hotels—where even small vendors now use UPI. Through the GeM portal, small shopkeepers are able to sell goods directly to the government, something unimaginable only a few years ago.
On defence, Modi said that with Russian collaboration, AK-203 rifles will soon be produced in Uttar Pradesh. He called upon investors to invest in India’s most populous state, noting proudly that 55% of India’s mobile phones already come from there. Citizens’ incomes up to ₹12,00,000 have been exempted from tax, and together with reduced GST rates, this has provided great relief.
At the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show 2025 in Noida, Modi once again emphasized the Make in India initiative, declaring, “We want to manufacture everything from chip to ship in India.” On its 11th anniversary, he said the initiative is fostering a vibrant defence sector and creating an ecosystem where every component bears the mark of Made in India. The defence corridor being established in Uttar Pradesh will further strengthen this drive.
He added that India’s defence forces want swadeshi products, and the aim is to decrease dependence on imports. “We are building an ecosystem where every part of our weapons has Made in India inscribed on it,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister also stressed India’s growing strength in semiconductors. He said when Indian industry becomes self-reliant, the country’s status and esteem will rise globally. He underlined that under the policy of ease of doing business, the government has decriminalized many rules that previously penalized even the smallest business mistakes.
Speaking in Hindi, he declared: “Bharat jaise desh ko kisi par nirbhar rehna ab manzoor nahin hai.” This, he said, reflects his government’s top priority of self-reliance (Atmanirbharta), which he described as the sure path to India’s economic, social, and technological development.
Under the ‘Make in India’ mission, the government has introduced a ₹76,000 crore semiconductor initiative to boost self-reliance in the tech-manufacturing sector. At the Semicon India 2025 event, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw presented the first ‘Make in India’ semiconductor chip to the Prime Minister. Electronic production has jumped from ₹1.9 lakh crore to ₹11.3 lakh crore in the last 11 years, making India the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world.
In the defence sector too, domestic production has risen by 225%, from ₹46,430 crore to more than ₹1.5 lakh crore. The indigenous development of BrahMos, one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, is a shining example, with 75% of its components now manufactured in India.
To sum up, India is firmly on the path to becoming a completely self-reliant nation. This will be a breakthrough development, but complacency must be avoided. Manufacturers, businessmen, traders, and citizens alike must contribute wholeheartedly to make the dream of a self-reliant India a reality.
[The author is a columnist, social activist, KP activist & freelancer]
