Defence Shield To GST Reforms And Jobs Scheme: Inside PM Modi's Blueprint For A Better India

Last Updated:August 15, 2025, 11:27 IST

From defence and space to jobs, tax reforms and energy security, PM Modi’s I-Day address unveiled a sweeping plan to strengthen India’s economy, security, and self-reliance by 2047

PM Narendra Modi during the 79th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, in New Delhi, on August 15, 2025. (PTI)

From a decade-long plan to build a state-of-the-art Sudarshan Chakra defence system to overhauling the Goods and Services Tax and launching a Rs 1 lakh crore jobs scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day to lay out a wide-ranging roadmap for India’s future.

Speaking from the Red Fort, he outlined initiatives aimed at strengthening national security, boosting employment, reforming taxation, and driving technological self-reliance, all positioned as steps towards the government’s vision of making India a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

‘Sudarshan Chakra’ Defence System

In a major defence announcement, PM Modi said India will launch the Sudarshan Chakra Mission, an advanced aerial defence system designed to thwart cross-border attacks, by 2035. Named after the mythological weapon of Lord Krishna, the system is envisioned as a powerful, multi-layered shield to protect the nation and deliver a decisive response to hostile actions.

The mission will safeguard strategic installations, cities, and places of faith using cutting-edge technology, serving as a strong deterrent to any attempt to harm India. “When I think of Lord Krishna, I also reflect on how the nature of warfare is changing worldwide today. India has demonstrated its capability to handle every new form of warfare," he said, citing Operation Sindoor as an example, when Indian forces intercepted missiles and drones targeting military bases, defence installations, religious sites, and civilians.

Over the next decade, the Sudarshan Chakra Mission will:

• Develop a Precise Target System to neutralise threats and deliver stronger counterstrikes.
• Integrate advanced weaponry and interception technology into a fully modernised security shield.
• Extend protection beyond conventional military targets to include railway stations, hospitals, and religious sites.

All research, development, and manufacturing will be done domestically, drawing on the skills and innovation of India’s youth. Modi said the mission draws inspiration from global best practices, with parallels to Israel’s Iron Dome, but will be uniquely adapted to India’s needs.

The announcement follows recent escalation with Pakistan, including a four-day exchange of fire after Operation Sindoor, in which India struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing around 100 terrorists in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

Next-Generation GST Reforms By Diwali 2025

Modi announced that the government will unveil next-generation GST reforms by Diwali 2025, calling them a “double Diwali gift" for citizens.

Referring to the GST rollout on 1 July 2017, which replaced multiple taxes and local levies, he said the indirect tax regime has now completed eight years, making this the right time for further changes. Consultations have been held with states, and a high-powered committee of state finance ministers is working on rate rationalisation and slab reduction.

The Prime Minister said the reforms will substantially reduce GST rates on common-use items, provide significant benefits to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and make daily-use goods cheaper. “This Diwali, I am going to make it a double Diwali for you… This will reduce the tax burden across the country," he said.

The demand for GST reforms, including lowering rates on essential goods and simplifying the tax structure, has been raised by industry bodies and consumers since the regime was introduced. The announcement now sets a timeline for changes long under discussion.

Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY)

The PM-VBRY is a Rs 1 lakh crore employment initiative aimed at boosting formal job creation in the private sector and supporting young people entering the workforce for the first time.

Effective from 15 August 2025, the scheme will provide Rs 15,000 from the Centre to first-time job seekers once they secure private-sector employment. Companies hiring freshers will also receive government incentives to promote large-scale recruitment. Modi said the scheme is expected to benefit around 3.5 crore youth, combining direct financial support with measures to encourage private sector hiring.

The Union Cabinet had earlier approved the scheme with an outlay of Rs 99,446 crore, targeting the creation of over 3.5 crore jobs in two years, of which 1.92 crore are expected to be first-time entrants to the workforce. Benefits apply to jobs created between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2027.

Part A – Incentives for First-Time Employees

• First-time EPFO-registered employees earning up to Rs 1 lakh/month.
• One month’s EPF wage (up to Rs 15,000) paid in two instalments — first after six months’ service, second after twelve months plus completion of a financial literacy programme.
• Part of the benefit deposited in a savings instrument for later withdrawal.
• Covers all sectors, with a special focus on manufacturing.
• Payments via DBT using the Aadhaar Bridge Payment System (ABPS).

Part B – Incentives for Employers

• Employers registered with EPFO.
• Up to Rs 3,000/month for two years for each additional employee retained for at least six months; extended to the 3rd and 4th years in manufacturing.
• Hiring threshold: at least two additional employees for firms with fewer than 50 staff; at least five for firms with 50 or more staff.
• Payments to PAN-linked accounts of employers.

‘Made-In-India’ Semiconductor Chips By Year-End

By the end of 2025, India will produce and launch its first domestically manufactured semiconductor chips. Modi noted that proposals to set up chip plants had emerged five to six decades ago but never materialised.

He said the government is now pursuing the sector in “mission mode", targeting the release of Made-in-India chips by year-end. Calling the 21st century a “technology-driven century", he stressed that nations leading in technology will achieve greater success.

The semiconductor drive is linked to wider self-reliance goals, alongside initiatives in solar, hydrogen, and nuclear power. Modi said India has already reached a 50% clean energy share in its power mix — five years ahead of its original 2030 target.

Roadmap To An Indian Space Station

Modi announced that India is working towards building its own space station, developed entirely with domestic capability under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

He congratulated Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force, who recently returned from a 20-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4. The mission, involving NASA, SpaceX, ISRO, and Axiom Space, is part of India’s preparations for Gaganyaan 2027, the country’s first indigenous crewed spaceflight.

India reportedly paid Rs 548 crore for Shukla’s seat, with Gaganyaan carrying a budget of Rs 20,000 crore to send three astronauts into low Earth orbit after multiple uncrewed tests. Modi also noted that over 300 start-ups are now engaged in space sector work.

High-Powered Demography Mission

The Prime Minister announced a high-powered demography mission to address what he described as threats posed by illegal immigration and demographic changes in border regions.

Warning of a “well-thought-out conspiracy" to alter India’s demography, Modi said infiltrators were seizing livelihoods, targeting women, misleading tribal communities, and grabbing land. “No country can surrender before infiltrators… This mission will tackle the danger looming over India," he said.

His remarks came amid intensified enforcement to identify and deport illegal foreign nationals, especially from Bangladesh.

Made In India Fighter Jet Engine

Modi set a national goal for India to develop and produce its own fighter jet engines, placing the country in an elite group with this capability. Calling it a “national challenge", he urged scientists and youth to take it up with the same resolve shown in developing COVID-19 vaccines and UPI. The project aims to reduce defence imports and boost domestic manufacturing.

National Deep Water Exploration Mission

Modi announced the National Deep Water Exploration Mission to explore oil and gas reserves in India’s seas, calling it a “Samudra Manthan" for energy self-reliance. According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the mission will also advance biodiversity studies, seabed surveys, mineral exploration, underwater engineering, and ocean literacy.

Next-Generation Reform Task Force

The Prime Minister announced a Reform Task Force to drive next-generation reforms for a $10 trillion economy by 2047. It will review all laws, rules, and procedures linked to economic activity with the aim to:

• Cut compliance costs for start-ups, MSMEs, and entrepreneurs.
• Protect against arbitrary legal action.
• Streamline laws to improve ease of doing business.

“This dependence on other countries is a recipe for disaster; we must be self-reliant to safeguard our interests," he said.

PM Modi’s Independence Day roadmap sets ambitious targets for India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Karishma Jain

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...Read More

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...

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August 15, 2025, 11:27 IST

News india Defence Shield To GST Reforms And Jobs Scheme: Inside PM Modi's Blueprint For A Better India

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