AI training, free coaching: PM Modi's six big announcements on Independence Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled a raft of initiatives covering artificial intelligence, competitive examination coaching, sports, civil defence, semiconductor manufacturing and nuclear power, placing youth and technological self-reliance at the heart of India's development push.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Modi said the country must prepare its young population for emerging technologies while simultaneously strengthening domestic capabilities in strategic sectors. His address, his 13th consecutive Independence Day speech as Prime Minister, repeatedly invoked the goal of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047.

Among the most significant announcements was a nationwide programme to provide artificial intelligence training to one crore young Indians over the next year. The initiative is expected to operate in mission mode and provide specialised AI skilling as the government seeks to prepare workers for a technology-driven economy.

The announcement comes amid the rapid adoption of generative AI, automation and other emerging technologies across industries. Modi linked India's ambitions in AI with the need to ensure that young Indians possess the skills required to participate in the next phase of technological development.

Free coaching for exam aspirants

In a major education-related announcement, Modi said the government would develop a system to provide free online coaching to students preparing for competitive examinations.

The Prime Minister drew attention to the substantial amount families spend on private coaching, particularly as competition for government jobs and admission to professional courses has intensified. The proposed online system is intended to use technology, teachers and educational resources to make coaching available without cost to aspirants.

The initiative could have a particularly significant impact beyond major coaching hubs, allowing students in smaller towns and rural areas to access preparation material and teaching without having to relocate or incur substantial coaching and accommodation expenses.

The two announcements — free competitive-exam coaching and AI training for one crore youth — formed a major part of the Prime Minister's broader focus on "Yuva Shakti" during the address. Modi also linked employment opportunities to the expansion of manufacturing, startups, MSMEs and emerging technology industries.

Talent hunt for young athletes

Sports formed another key element of the announcements, with the Prime Minister outlining plans for a nationwide talent hunt for children aged between five and 15 years.

The programme will seek to identify sporting ability at an early age across villages, towns and cities and provide promising youngsters with opportunities for specialised training.

Modi said India needed to widen its presence across Olympic disciplines rather than concentrate its medal hopes in a relatively limited number of sports. The talent-identification programme is intended to create a much larger pipeline of athletes by finding potential champions while they are still children.

The initiative also assumes significance as India pursues its ambition of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games. The emphasis is on building sporting capacity well before such a major international event and creating a deeper pool of athletes capable of competing at the highest level.

New civil defence network

Against the backdrop of changing security challenges, Modi also announced plans for a modern civil defence volunteer network.

The Prime Minister said the nature of warfare and security threats was changing and preparedness could no longer remain confined to conventional military challenges. The proposed system will seek to create a trained volunteer force familiar with modern technology and capable of assisting the country during emergencies and crises.

The initiative would broaden civilian participation in emergency preparedness and strengthen the country's ability to respond to situations in which civilian infrastructure and populations may come under pressure.

Semiconductor manufacturing gets a boost

Modi used the Independence Day platform to underline India's growing ambitions in semiconductor manufacturing, a sector considered critical to economic as well as strategic security.

Semiconductor chips are essential for products ranging from smartphones and computers to automobiles, telecom equipment, medical devices, defence systems and industrial machinery. India's heavy dependence on imported chips has consequently been viewed as a vulnerability, particularly after global supply disruptions exposed the risks associated with concentrated semiconductor supply chains.

Modi said India had made progress in building its semiconductor ecosystem and indicated that several more semiconductor facilities would become operational in the coming years.

The semiconductor push fits into the government's broader strategy of increasing domestic manufacturing and reducing dependence on overseas suppliers for strategically important technologies.

The Prime Minister also connected India's semiconductor ambitions with emerging areas such as AI and robotics, arguing that the country should increasingly develop advanced technologies using chips manufactured domestically.

Nuclear power capacity to rise sharply

Energy security was another major theme, with Modi setting out an ambitious expansion of India's nuclear power sector.

The Prime Minister reiterated the target of taking the country's nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047, a substantial increase from present levels. He also said five new nuclear reactors were targeted for commissioning during the current decade.

The push is significant as India attempts to meet rapidly rising electricity demand while simultaneously reducing the carbon intensity of its energy system. Nuclear energy can provide round-the-clock electricity and complement the rapid expansion of intermittent renewable sources such as solar and wind.

Modi also highlighted India's work on fast breeder reactor technology, which has long been part of the country's three-stage nuclear power programme and is considered important for making more effective use of India's nuclear fuel resources.

Youth at centre of Viksit Bharat push

The announcements were presented as elements of a broader roadmap for Viksit Bharat by 2047, when India completes 100 years of Independence.

Modi outlined what he described as "Shakti Ki Saptadhara", or seven streams of national strength, encompassing manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, technology and innovation, infrastructure, defence production, green and blue economies, and India's soft power.

The Prime Minister argued that self-reliance would remain central to India's ability to navigate an increasingly uncertain global environment. The emphasis on semiconductors and nuclear energy reflected this strategic approach, while AI training, free coaching and sports talent identification sought to build human capital alongside physical and technological capacity.

The common thread running through the announcements was an attempt to combine skills, opportunity and self-reliance — preparing young Indians for new technologies, widening access to education and sport, and simultaneously building domestic capabilities in sectors increasingly critical to national security and economic competitiveness.

With one crore youth targeted for AI training, free coaching proposed for competitive-exam aspirants, a nationwide search planned for young sporting talent, and major capacity expansion envisaged in semiconductors and nuclear energy, Modi's latest Red Fort address sought to lay out both immediate interventions and long-term targets on India's road to 2047.