Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit, PM Modi Delivers Firm Message to US President
15 Aug, 2025 11:04 IST|Sakshi Post
PM says, "Modi stands like a wall, won't compromise on farmers"
‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ Push Intensifies as Modi Responds to US Trade Pressure
Modi Targets Self-Reliance, Slams Dependence on Foreign Nations in I-Day Speech
August 15, 2025 marks two important occasions for India – the 79th Independence Day and US President Donald Trump’s meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation to mark Independence Day echoed the significance of the day at a time when India is faced with mounting pressure from the US with tariffs.
While speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Friday, PM Modi once again emphasized that the Central government will never compromise on the interests of its farmers as they made the country self-sufficient.
His reiteration comes in the context of Trump slapping India with 25% tariffs – which came into effect from August 7.
He pointed out, “It was a challenge to ensure food for everyone post-independence, but our farmers made us self-sufficient... Modi stands like a wall, won't compromise on farmers.”
Emphasizing his government’s push for an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, PM Modi observed, “Being dependent on other countries is a recipe for disaster. We must be self-reliant to safeguard our interests.”
Following Trump’s imposition of additional 25% tariffs on India for buying Russian energy, the Prime Minister had said that he was ready to personally pay a huge price to protect farmers’ interests. The US administration has accused India of funding the Ukraine war by buying discounted Russian oil.
The accusation comes even as India has maintained that purchasing energy from Russia, at a time when it was facing immense sanctions over the war, ensured stability in the market.
The staggering 50% tariffs on India come at a time when talks are underway with the US to finalize a bilateral trade deal. The sticking point, however, has been India’s reluctance to give in to Trump’s pressure to open up its domestic market to US agriculture and dairy products.
Prime Minister Modi made a renewed push for ‘swadeshi’ amid the rising global uncertainty and emphasized that India was working towards becoming self-reliant and energy-independent.
To support his claims, PM Modi highlighted, “In the last 11 years, our solar energy capacity has increased by 30 times. Ten new nuclear reactors are currently operational. By the time India celebrates 100 years of independence, we aim to increase our nuclear energy capacity tenfold.”
