President Draupadi Murmu Amidst the increasing geopolitical tension in different continents, India on Sunday said that India is spreading the message of peace in the world, which is very important to secure the future of humanity.
Addressing the nation on the eve of the 77th Republic Day, Murmu spoke on various issues including ‘Operation Sindoor’ and women empowerment and also discussed topics like Vande Mataram and the growing economy of the country. President Murmu underlined India’s position as a messenger of peace and reinforced the ancient civilizational commitment to universal harmony.
He said, ‘In our tradition, there has been a prayer for peace in the entire creation. The future of humanity can be secure only by establishing a peaceful system throughout the world. In the environment of unrest prevailing in many areas of the world, India is spreading the message of world peace.
During his address, the President also underlined the strong commitment to national security by highlighting the recent success of Operation Sindoor, a precision strike that destroyed cross-border terrorist infrastructure. Murmu said, ‘Last year, our country, through Operation Sindoor, launched a precise attack on the targets of terrorism. Many hideouts of terrorism were destroyed and many terrorists were brought to their end. He said, ‘Our self-reliance in the field of security gave strength to the historic success of Operation Sindoor.’
Reflecting on the strength of the armed forces, the President recalled his personal visits to Siachen Base Camp and the flights he conducted in Sukhoi and Rafale. Murmu said, ‘After reaching Siachen Base Camp, I saw the brave soldiers fully prepared and excited to protect the country even in the most adverse circumstances. I also got the opportunity to fly in Indian Air Force fighter planes, Sukhoi and Rafale. I became aware of the warfare skills of the Air Force.
He said, ‘I went to the depths of the sea in the naval submarine INS Waghshir. On the basis of the strength of the Army, Air Force and Navy, the countrymen have full confidence in our security capability.
In his address, President Murmu described the rise of women power as the cornerstone of India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. He emphasized that active and strong participation of women is very important for the development of the country. Murmu said that women are making their effective mark, from farms to space, from self-employment to armies.
He said that the number of women public representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions is about 46 percent. He said that the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act’, which will give a new height to the political empowerment of women, will give ‘unprecedented strength’ to the thinking of development led by women.
The President said that the past year proved to be a ‘golden chapter’ for Indian women on the global stage and expressed special pride in the dominance of India’s daughters in sports, particularly mentioning the historic victories in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and the T20 Blind Women’s World Cup.
President Murmu highlighted that women are making important contributions to the armed forces, space research and entrepreneurship. He said that the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign has encouraged the education of daughters across the country.
The President said, ‘With the increasing contribution of women, our country will set an example of an inclusive republic based on gender equality.’ He also emphasized India’s unprecedented progress in poverty alleviation and said that crores of countrymen, who have been struggling with poverty for decades, have been brought above the poverty line.
Murmu said that embodying the spirit of Antyodaya, the government is focused on ensuring that these citizens do not fall back into the ‘poverty trap’. He said, ‘The world’s biggest scheme, ‘PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana’ is based on the thought that no one should remain hungry in our country with a population of more than 140 crores. About 81 crore beneficiaries are getting assistance from this scheme.
The President stressed that the path to a ‘developed India’ must be inclusive and special attention should be paid to tribal and marginalized communities. He said, ‘Such efforts made for the welfare of the poor embody Mahatma Gandhi’s ideal of Sarvodaya (progress for all).’
President Murmu said that the Constitution of India is now available in all the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule. He said that the purpose of this achievement is to promote ‘constitutional nationalism’, which will give citizens an opportunity to connect with the fundamental document of the nation in their mother tongue.
He said this initiative is part of a broader shift towards ‘good governance’ based on mutual trust, where the gap between the government and the general public is being systematically bridged through technology and legislative reforms.
Murmu said that national goals are now being achieved through unprecedented public participation, due to which government campaigns are being transformed into mass movements. A prime example of this revolutionary change is India’s global leadership in the digital economy. He said that today more than half of the world’s digital transactions take place in India.
Murmu said that it was emphasized that building a developed India is a ‘shared responsibility’. He called upon local institutions in every village and city to act as instruments of progressive change. The President said that today’s India is moving forward with a new confidence deeply rooted in its glorious traditions and ‘Gyan Bharatam’ (Knowledgeable India) vision.
Murmu lauded India’s emergence as the world’s fastest growing major economy and attributed this to deep structural reforms and commitment to self-reliance. He said that despite global economic uncertainty, India is firmly on the path to becoming the world’s third largest economy in the near future.
The cornerstone of this economic transformation has been the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which the President has described as the most important decision for economic integration since independence. He said, ‘Self-reliance and Swadeshi are our watchwords in the journey towards becoming the third largest economy and the government’s focus on world-class infrastructure and labor reforms is expected to further accelerate the growth of enterprises.’
The President also highlighted the ongoing celebrations to commemorate 150 years of the composition of ‘Vande Mataram’. In his address, he emphasized how ‘Vande Mataram’ crossed linguistic barriers and united the people during the freedom struggle. He said that by being translated into different Indian languages, this song has become even stronger as a universal symbol of unity. He said, ‘From North to South and from East to West, the fabric of our ancient cultural unity was woven by our ancestors. Every effort to keep the forms of national unity alive is very commendable.
