“India is now the world’s sixth largest economy”: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the nation from ramparts of the Red Fort, on the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day said that India's economy has been progressing well in last few years and it became world's Sixth largest economy.

The Prime Minister mentioned how international organizations and agencies were looking at India very differently today, as compared to 2013. He said that from a time of "policy paralysis", India had moved to "Reform, Perform, Transform." He said India is now a member of several important multilateral organizations, and is leading the International Solar Alliance.

The Prime Minister spoke of the decline in Left Wing Extremism in the country. He reiterated former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's vision of "Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat," for the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Prime Minister asserted that the corrupt and those who have black money would not be forgiven. He said that Delhi's streets are now free from power brokers, and the voice of the poor is heard.

The Prime Minister announced that women officers of Short Service Commission in the Indian Armed Forces would now be eligible for permanent commission through a transparent selection process.

Noting that the practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice among Muslim women the Prime Minister assured Muslim women that he will will work to ensure that justice is done to them.

He said that the Union Government had taken decisions which had been pending for long, including higher MSP for farmers, GST, and One Rank – One Pension. He said this has become possible because the Union Government has kept national interest supreme.

The Prime Minister paid homage to the freedom fighters and martyrs. He saluted the jawans of the security forces and police forces. He recalled in particular, the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which happened on Baisakhi day in 1919. He offered condolences to people affected by floods in some parts of the country.