Milestones of Progress

August 17, 2026

India celebrated its Independence Day with great dignity and pride, from the Red Fort in Delhi to the capitals of various states. The day was imbued with a spirit of patriotism. The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ (Tiranga in every home) campaign created a buzz across every corner of the country, while ‘Tiranga Yatras’ (processions featuring the national flag) added a unique vibrancy to the celebrations.

The singing of the national song, ‘Vande Mataram,’ fostered an atmosphere charged with patriotic fervor. It became evident that in the years since independence, India has made immense progress and left a significant mark on the global stage. India has moved from being overlooked to being sought after; when complex global issues arise, even prosperous nations look to India for contributions and value its counsel.

Whether it is the Russia-Ukraine conflict or the tenuous truce between Iran and the US regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the horrors of war underscore the need for the message of peace that India champions. India has also achieved remarkable economic growth over the years, rapidly rising to become one of the world’s top five economies.

On Independence Day, the commitment was reiterated that India would become a fully developed nation by 2047—the centenary of its independence. Given that our current economic growth rate is among the best in the world, it is possible that we could emerge as the world’s largest economy by 2047.

India has embraced digitalization and harnessed the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI); consequently, AI-related knowledge is now being integrated into curricula across educational institutions. However, the most prominent highlight of this Independence Day was India’s impressive performance in the electronics sector, where it has achieved eleven-fold growth compared to 2014–15.

By 2025-26, the country’s electronics exports have risen to ₹4.24 lakh crore. Another piece of good news is the significant contribution of women to the nation’s active endeavors; women are at the forefront of ISRO’s exploratory missions. Women now account for approximately 30 percent of the workforce across the entire electronics manufacturing ecosystem. Even more remarkable is that women constitute nearly 70 percent of the workforce in mobile phone manufacturing.

India’s digital economy is steadily expanding, with its contribution to the GDP reaching 17 percent. India’s Semiconductor Mission plays a significant role in this trajectory.

Electronics production is now being boosted through Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters. Another key development is the tremendous surge in mobile phone exports. While mobile phones ranked 153rd among India’s exports in 2014-15, they have now become the country’s largest export product.

Mobile phone exports have increased nearly 165-fold; today, we export mobile phones worth Rs 2.59 lakh crore, whereas in 2015, this figure stood at a mere Rs 1,500 crore. Today, every Indian family owns a mobile phone. The mobile manufacturing sector has generated 1.2 million (12 lakh) jobs.

We highlight this progress because women make up 70 percent of the workforce in this manufacturing and industrial sector. Thus, the new year that has begun for the nation following Independence Day is marked by a resolve for progress.

We are backed by the strength of a dedicated and self-reliant workforce, the leadership of a stable government, and the power of an awakened youth. It is a matter of great significance that half of the country’s population consists of youth of working age. If this youth power dedicates itself to the nation’s reconstruction, it will be a boon for India.

-Abhishek Vi