Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for self-reliance, during his address to the nation on Tuesday, is a step in the right direction.
He pitched for the use of products manufactured in the country, saying the novel coronavirus outbreak has taught us the importance of local manufacturing, local market and local supply chain.
“In times of crisis, this local has fulfilled our demand, this local has saved us. Local is not just the need, it is our responsibility also,” he said.
The Prime Minister said from today every Indian has to become “vocal for their local”, not only to buy local products, but also to promote them proudly.
Time, he said, has taught us that “we must make the local as a mantra of our life”. “The global brands were sometimes also very local like this. But when people started using them, started promoting them, branding them, felt proud of them, they became global from local products,” he said.
Modi said he is confident that the country can do this. “Your efforts have increased my reverence for you every time … When I requested you to buy khadi … It was also said that the country’s handloom workers should be supported. The demand and sales of both khadi and handloom have reached record levels in a very short time. Not only that, you also made it a big brand. There was a very small effort, but the result was very good,” he said.
No one doubts that a strong and self-reliant India will have greater international prestige than the one that relies heavily on imports.