President Droupadi Murmu extended Independence Day greetings to the nation on Thursday evening hailing the ‘extraordinary progress’ made by India over the past 78 years. The annual address touched upon the many milestones celebrated by India in recent years — including the ‘unprecedented expansion’ of the Indian space program and the growing use of artificial intelligence. Murmu also hailed the military prowess of India in light of Operation Sindoor.

“I extend my heartiest greetings to all of you on the eve of Independence Day. It is a matter of pride for all of us that Independence Day and Republic Day are celebrated by every Indian with great enthusiasm. These are days that especially remind us of our being proud Indians,” the Rashtrapati began.

The address — delivered annually on the eve of Independence Day — also coincides with Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. The President also stressed the need to remember the violence and suffering witnessed in 1947 during her address. She noted that the country had been left in ‘utter poverty’ at the time of Independence after centuries of foreign rule.

“We started a new journey in 1947. After the long years of foreign rule, India was in utter poverty at the time of Independence. But in the 78 years since then, we have made extraordinary progress in all fields. India is well on the way to becoming a self-reliant nation and is moving ahead with great confidence,” she added.

‘Our economy is in a strong position’

The President noted that a large number of people had been ‘pulled out of poverty through good governance’ and that income disparity continued to fall. She said that regional disparity was also on a decline — with states and regions previously known for weak economic performance now “showing their true potential and catching up with the front-runners”.

“India is the fastest-growing among the major economies in the world with a GDP growth rate of 6.5% in the last fiscal year. Inflation has remained under control. Exports are rising. All key indicators show our economy to be in a strong position,” she said.

Partition Horrors Remembrance Day

“As we look back on the past, we must never forget the pain inflicted by the partition of the country. Today, we observed Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. Terrible violence was witnessed due to partition, and lakhs of people were forced to relocate. Today, we pay tributes to those who were victims of the mistakes of history,” the President said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared it an annual national memorial day in 2021 — dedicated to commemorating the victims and sufferings of millions of people during the Partition of India in 1947.

(With inputs from agencies)