New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) The country’s apex business chamber, the Confederation of Indian industry (CII), on Friday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day call for empowering India’s youth, strengthening MSMEs and accelerating the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ mission.

“CII is committed to supporting this journey by fostering entrepreneurship, facilitating market linkages for MSMEs, and enabling the skills and infrastructure needed for a truly self-sustaining economy,” the business chamber said in a statement.

The milestone of Rs 1 lakh crore youth empowerment initiative of the PM-Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, with its Rs 15,000 support for first-time job seekers, has the potential to create large-scale employment opportunities, enhance skills, and open pathways for sustained livelihoods, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

MSMEs, as the backbone of India’s economy, stand to gain significantly from these measures. Increased access to talent, targeted incentives, and a stronger domestic manufacturing ecosystem will enable them to scale, innovate, and integrate more deeply into global value chains.

The emphasis on indigenous capabilities, whether in high-tech sectors like semiconductors, defence systems such as the Sudarshan Chakra Mission, or renewable and energy self-reliance, reinforces the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

“Furthermore, the success of Operation Sindoor reflects India’s growing defence capabilities and underscores the imperative of safeguarding national and economic security through enhanced indigenous systems, accelerated development of advanced military technologies, and self-reliance in critical defence infrastructure and supply chains,” the statement added..

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a 103-minute Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, marked a watershed moment for its sweeping articulation of a self-reliant, strategically autonomous, and technologically empowered nation.

Framed as a roadmap to a Viksit Bharat by 2047, the speech blended policy announcements with ideological clarity, underscoring India’s transformation from dependence to global confidence.

Among the most ambitious announcements was the rollout of India’s first Made in India semiconductor chip by year-end, alongside the opening of the nuclear sector to private players.

PM Modi emphasised that self-reliance must extend to jet engines, social media platforms, fertilisers, and pharmaceuticals.

The National Critical Minerals Mission and the Deepwater Exploration Mission were presented as foundational steps toward securing energy and industrial autonomy, with 1,200 mineral sites under exploration and offshore energy resources being tapped to reduce foreign fuel dependence.

–IANS

sps/na