President Murmu urges citizens to embrace Swadeshi, calls for use of Indian products on I-Day eve

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday in her address to the nation of the eve of the country's 79th Independence Day called on citizens to "buy and use Indian-made products" to strengthen the spirit of the Swadeshi Movement. The President said, "The idea of Swadeshi has been inspiring our national endeavours like Make-in-India initiative and Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Let us resolve to buy and use Indian products." The President also urged people to consciously choose local products. The President noted that the same idea of self-reliance continued to inspire modern initiatives such as the "Make-in-India" programme and the "Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan." She emphasised that this would not only honour the legacy of the Swadeshi Movement but also empower millions of artisans across the country.

The President said that Mahatma Gandhi strengthened the spirit of Swadeshi to promote goods made through the sweat, toil, and incomparable skills of Indian artisans and craftspeople. She noted that earlier this month on August 7, the country celebrated National Handloom Day, a tradition observed since 2015 to honour the country's weavers and their products. The day also commemorated the Swadeshi Movement of 1905, which played a vital role in India's freedom struggle. "Since the year 2015, we have been celebrating this day to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement launched during our freedom struggle in the year 1905. The spirit of Swadeshi was strengthened by Mahatma Gandhi to promote the products made by the sweat and toil of Indian artisans and crafts-persons, and by their incomparable skills. The idea of Swadeshi has been inspiring our national endeavours like Make-in-India initiative and Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Let us resolve to buy and use Indian products. Extending her heartiest greetings to the nation, President Murmu said, "It is a matter of pride for all of us that Independence Day and Republic Day are celebrated by every Indian with great enthusiasm. These are days that especially remind us of our being proud Indians." "Our Constitution contains four values as the four pillars upholding our democracy. They are - justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. These are our civilisational principles that we re-discovered during the Freedom Struggle. At the heart of them all, I believe, is the notion of human dignity. Every human being is equal, and everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. Everyone should have equal access to healthcare and education. Everyone should have equal opportunity. Those who had been traditionally at a disadvantage needed to be given a helping hand," she said. "Keeping these principles foremost in mind, we started a new journey in 1947. After the long years of foreign rule, India was in utter poverty at the time of Independence. But in the 78 years since then, we have made extraordinary progress in all fields," President Murmu said. The President noted that India is well on the way to becoming a "self-reliant nation" and is moving ahead with great confidence. The President called on the citizens of the country to do what they can "to protect the environment." "To respond to the challenge of climate change, we must also change. We must change our habits and our world-view. We must change our relationship with our land, rivers, mountains, and with flora and fauna. With contribution from all of us, we will leave behind a planet in which life will be flourishing in natural order," she said in her address to the nation on the eve of the 79th Independence Day. On August 15, 2025, India will celebrate its 79th Independence Day. The theme for this year's celebration is "Naya Bharat," reflecting India's vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047. The grand ceremonial event at Red Fort will feature a 21-Gun Salute, cultural displays, and tributes to India's journey towards progress and prosperity.