Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on Saturday, said people with a “Naxal mentality” continued to pose a threat to Indian society and called for them to be identified and isolated.
“In our jungles, we have been successful in weeding out Naxals with weapons. But those with Naxal mentality are still around. They are threatening our society. We have to find and isolate these dimagi Naxals,” Modi said.
He alleged that people influenced by Maoist ideology had for years established themselves in positions of power and influenced government policymaking.
“The dimagi Naxals waiting for an opportunity… are trying to revive the paths of violence and anarchy and are making various attempts to drag society in the wrong direction,” he said.
Here are some more glimpses from the ramparts of the Red Fort during the Independence Day celebrations. pic.twitter.com/BvAN4QfvLj
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2026
Modi said Naxal violence had destroyed the future of lakhs of young people and claimed that more than 3,500 police and security personnel had been killed in the conflict. He said the government had resolved to eliminate Maoist violence after coming to power in 2014 and claimed that the movement was now “breathing its last”.
Free online coaching for competitive exams
A major focus of Modi’s speech was on students and the financial pressure created by the private coaching industry.
He announced that the government would create a nationwide network of free online coaching for competitive examinations, bringing together digital infrastructure, teachers and educators.
“The competition surrounding coaching classes has become a huge burden for middle-class families,” Modi said.
He added that many parents feel their children would fall behind if they did not attend coaching centres.
“Keeping the concerns of poor and middle-class families in mind, we want to help save them the thousands of crores of rupees which they spend on coaching,” he said.
Modi said free online coaching would allow young people to prepare for examinations while staying closer to their families and reducing the financial burden on their parents.
The announcement comes weeks after nationwide student and youth protests over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
AI training for 1 crore youth
Modi also announced a major artificial intelligence skilling programme, saying 1 crore young people will receive AI training over the next year.
“When I speak of a Viksit Bharat, when I speak of advancing the nation at high speed—who is the greatest beneficiary of this? Who is the greatest driving force behind all these efforts?” Modi asked.
“The driving force is the youth of my country,” he said.
Modi said India must take the lead in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space, robotics and data centres.
“We have resolved that in the coming one year, we will work to provide AI skill training to 1 crore youth, so that the youth of our nation possess the capability to lead the world in the domain of AI,” he said.
Youth at the centre of ‘Viksit Bharat’
The Prime Minister placed young people at the centre of his vision for a developed India by 2047, saying they would be both the biggest drivers and beneficiaries of the country’s growth.
“We have to link the goal of a developed India with our youth and move forward. We have to make the youth our highest priority,” Modi said.
His Independence Day address also highlighted technology and innovation as a key part of his broader ‘Sapta Dhara’ framework for building a developed India.
Modi seeks support for 33% women’s reservation
Modi also appealed to political parties to support 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies.
“For one reason or another, in the political arena over the last 40 years, this dream had persistently fallen victim to political games and political battlegrounds,” he said.
He urged political parties across the political spectrum to support the proposal and “take credit for it”.
The Prime Minister’s address lasted around 75 minutes and was his shortest Independence Day speech in four years.
