On the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his intention to transform the country into a fully developed economy within the next 25 years. It is also about being proud of one’s cultural heritage and moving away from slavery, the 71-year-old said in a speech in the capital New Delhi on Monday. He wore a turban in the colors of the Indian flag of white, orange and green.
Modi called on the youths to dedicate the next 25 years of their lives to the development of the country. 75 years ago, the former British India became independent and the British colonial rulers withdrew.
With over 1.3 billion people, India is the second most populous country in the world after China and the most populous democracy on the planet. And with this large population, India is also the sixth largest economy in the world according to the World Bank and is expected to continue to grow significantly. On a per capita basis, however, India is only considered a “lower middle income country”.
There were many more Independence Day celebrations in India, and several hundred prisoners were pardoned and released early, Indian media reports. Detainees are those who have behaved well while in custody, according to official guidelines.
