Modi Calls Dependence India’s ‘Biggest Enemy,’ Pushes Self-Reliance at Bhavnagar Event

Bhavnagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday declared that India’s greatest adversary is not an external force but its own dependence on foreign nations. Speaking at the Samudra se Samriddhi event in Bhavnagar, he said the country’s future cannot be left in the hands of others and urged citizens to embrace self-reliance as the foundation for development.

“India does not have a major enemy in the world. If we have an enemy, it is our dependence on other countries. That is our biggest enemy,” the Prime Minister said, stressing that self-respect and progress require reducing reliance on imports.

He inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over ₹34,200 crore and announced sweeping reforms in the maritime sector, including five restructured maritime laws aimed at transforming shipping and port governance. Modi also launched the ‘One Nation, One Document’ and ‘One Nation, One Port’ process to simplify trade.

Taking a sharp swipe at the Congress, Modi accused the party of crippling India’s shipbuilding industry by relying on foreign vessels instead of strengthening domestic capacity. “Fifty years ago, 40% of our trade was carried on Indian ships. Today, it has dropped to just 5%,” he said, blaming decades of neglect, licence raj policies, and import dependence for weakening India’s potential.

The Prime Minister highlighted that shipbuilding has been granted infrastructure status, making it easier for companies to secure financing and compete globally. He announced that three major government schemes worth over ₹70,000 crore will soon boost shipbuilding, modern technology adoption, and design standards.

Citing India’s legacy in shipbuilding, Modi pointed to recent achievements including the indigenous construction of INS Vikrant and over 40 other naval vessels. “India has the skill, capability, and now the political will,” he asserted, calling shipbuilding the “Mother of All Industries” with its massive multiplier effect across steel, electronics, textiles, and MSMEs.

Modi also underlined India’s progress in port-led development, noting that port capacity has doubled in the past decade and average ship turnaround time has been reduced from two days to less than one. He announced that Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra, with an investment of over ₹75,000 crore, will be among the world’s top ten ports.

“By 2047, India will triple its share in global maritime trade,” Modi declared, adding that self-reliance whether in chips or ships was the only path to making India a developed nation.