Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called on India’s younger generation to play a bigger role in the country’s development, saying their decisions and work over the coming decades will shape the journey towards a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
The remarks came during his first public address after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in New Delhi. Modi was speaking at the annual convocation ceremony of the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi.
“We have faith in you. The country needs you", PM Modi said while addressing the graduating students.
‘Every generation has national responsibility’
The Prime Minister said every generation faces its own challenges and has a responsibility towards the country.
“You are all aware that every generation faces the specific challenges of its time and also bears its own national responsibility… Whatever you do over the next 30 to 35 years of your lives will influence our journey towards a ‘Viksit Bharat’. Therefore, the basis of every decision you make should also be: how will this benefit the country? Which of the nation’s needs will this fulfill?" he said.
Modi also highlighted the pace at which technology and global power equations are changing, urging young people to keep adapting and learning.
Modi asks youth to keep learning
The Prime Minister said technological advances would continue to reshape industries and professions, making it difficult to predict what the world would look like in the coming decades.
“… The global strategic equation is shifting swiftly. The global power balance is evolving by the moment, driven primarily by the pace of technological advancement. No one can say with certainty what the world will look like in the next 20 or 30 years… The world, technology, industries, and professions will all evolve. But amidst all this, remember one thing: those who keep learning will succeed", he said.
‘First in my bloodline to build a rocket’
Referring to the successful launch of Skyroot’s Vikram-1 rocket, Modi said the government had opened new avenues for young people, particularly in emerging sectors.
“We have opened various ways in which our youth can contribute. New sectors have been opened. I had spoken about the space sector before. Today that very same space sector has become a sky for our youth", he said.
Giving his address a Gen Z touch, Modi added, “Today our youth is saying, ‘First in my bloodline to build a rocket’. Today our youth is launching rockets."
He also pointed to the expansion of the drone sector, saying, “Our drone sector is also expanding. Drones are being utilised in national security and in transporting medicines", he added.
The address came after the recent CJP protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over the paper leak controversy linked to NEET-UG 2026, which culminated with the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.