In his final Mann Ki Baat monthly radio address of 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Operation Sindoor - India’s military response to a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam - in May had become a symbol of national pride, signalling to the world that India does not compromise on its security.
"This year, ‘Operation Sindoor’ became a symbol of pride for every Indian. The world clearly saw that today's India does not compromise on its security. During ‘Operation Sindoor’, images of love and devotion towards Maa Bharati emerged from every corner of the country. People expressed their feelings in their own unique ways," he said.
Modi also said that consumers had preferred 'Swadeshi' goods, and that 2025 gave India greater confidence, with the country now ready to move forward into the new year with new hopes and resolutions.
"The excitement towards Swadeshi was also evident among one and all. People are purchasing only those goods that bear the sweat of an Indian and the fragrance of Indian soil. Today, we can proudly say that 2025 has given India even greater confidence," he said in the address to the nation. "It is also true that this year we had to face natural disasters at many places. Now, the country is ready to move forward in 2026 with new hopes and new resolutions."
The prime minister had urged Indian consumers to buy locally-made goods in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort on 15 August, when he announced sweeping reforms in the country's indirect tax system, reducing or eliminating goods and services tax (GST) on a plethora of items to boost consumption.
India's economy expanded by 8.2% the July-September period, beating estimates and growing at its fastest pace in six quarters. The country's gross domestic product (GDP) had grown 5.6% in the same quarter last year, and 7.8% in the previous (April-June) quarter of this fiscal year. The robust expansion was driven by manufacturing, financial services, and consumption, along with a low-base effect and low inflation.
The call for Swadeshi also comes amid geopolitical uncertainty, with Indian manufacturers facing supply chain disruptions and exporters facing tariff pressures.
He spoke about progress in use of renewable energy such as solar under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana for setting up rooftop solar power installations, and how drones were used to discover historical artefacts in Jammu and Kashmir.
Modi said Manipur's Moirangthem Seth, facing electricity issues in remote areas, started a campaign to install solar panels. "...on account of this campaign, today solar power has reached hundreds of houses in his area. The special thing is that he has used solar power to improve healthcare and livelihood. Today, owing to his efforts, many health centres in Manipur are also getting solar power," said Modi.
He also said that the government is providing approximately ₹75,000-80,000 to each beneficiary family for installing solar panels under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
Modi remarked that Tamil is the world's oldest language, and that India's cultural heritage, including its languages, are now spreading beyond regional boundaries, with Tamil being taught in Varanasi schools as well as abroad in the isles of Fiji.
He also said the country's youth had contributed to finding solutions in the digital age, especially against fraud and digital arrest. Modi said that hackathons conducted for the country's youth led to them suggesting solutions to challenges like financial frauds and digital arrests. "Suggestions were extended on cyber security framework for digital banking in villages. Many youth remained engaged in solving the challenges in the agriculture sector," he said.
Modi also urged citizens to stay healthy, and cautioned against the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, which could render them ineffective. "The ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) recently released a report. It states that antibiotics are proving ineffective against many diseases like pneumonia and UTI (urinary tract infection). This is a matter of great concern for all of us. According to the report, a major reason for this is people's indiscriminate use of antibiotics. Antibiotics are not medicines that should be taken mindlessly. They should be used only on the doctor's advice," he said.