Be it chips or ships, they must be Made in India: PM Modi in Gujarat

September 20, 2025

Bhavnagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Saturday that India advances with the spirit of ‘Vishwabandhu’; however, the dependency on foreign nations poses a significant challenge to the country.

‘Made in India’ Key to Atmanirbhar Bharat
He highlighted that ‘Made in India’ products are crucial for achieving ‘Atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant) status. He reiterated that whether it concerns chips or ships, they must be manufactured in India.

He said this during the Samudra se Samriddhi programme in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for several development projects across multiple sectors worth more than Rs 34,200 crore.

Dependency on Foreign Nations a Major Adversary
Addressing the large gathering at Jawahar Maidan in Bhavnagar, PM Modi said, “India is moving forward with the spirit of ‘Vishwabandhu’ (global brotherhood) and India has no major enemy in the world today, but in true terms, our biggest adversary is dependence on other nations. This dependency must be collectively defeated.”

He warned, “Greater foreign dependence leads to greater national failure. For global peace, stability, and prosperity, the world’s most populous country must become Atmanirbhar. Reliance on others compromises national self-respect.”

Attack on Congress’ Past Policies
Underscoring that India has never lacked capability, PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the then Congress-led UPA government and said that after Independence, the ruling party “consistently ignored the country’s inherent strengths.”

He blamed Congress for India’s entanglement in the license-quota regime, isolation from global markets, and reliance on imports during globalisation, which he said resulted in scams worth thousands of crores.

Collapse of India’s Shipping Sector
Citing shipping as an example, Modi said India was once a leading maritime power and shipbuilding hub. Even 50 years ago, over 40 per cent of India’s import-export was conducted on Indian-built ships.

However, “misguided policies” of Congress weakened domestic shipbuilding, and today, 95 per cent of India’s trade relies on foreign ships. This dependence costs India nearly $75 billion (around Rs 6 lakh crore) annually — almost equal to the country’s defence budget.

Reforms in Maritime Sector
Stressing the need for reforms, PM Modi said, “If we have to achieve a Viksit Bharat by 2047, it must become self-reliant. There is no alternative to self-reliance, and all 140 crore citizens must commit to the same resolve — be it chips or ships, they must be Made in India.”

He announced the implementation of One Nation, One Document and One Nation, One Port to simplify trade and port governance, freeing major ports from multiple documents and fragmented processes.

Strengthening India’s Naval Power
Highlighting achievements, PM Modi said that in the last decade, over 40 ships and submarines have been inducted into the Navy, most of them built domestically. The indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, constructed with Indian-made steel, was cited as an example of India’s naval capability.

“India possesses the capability and lacks no skill. The political will required to build large ships is firmly in place,” PM Modi asserted.