The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday that his country is looking for self -sufficiency in the independence of energy and the development of his own powerful defense systems, promising to defend the interests of his country “as a wall.”
Modi pronounced his annual speech of the Independence Day of the Walls of the Red Fort of New Delhi at a time when India faces intense pressure and threats of additional tariffs of the United States.
“Self -sufficiency is the basis of developed India,” Modi said after a flow of military helicopters scattered flower petals on an guest crowd of thousands. “Freedom is meaningless if someone becomes too dependent on others.”
The ties between New Delhi and Washington have been tensioned by Trump’s ultimatum that India ends their Russian oil purchases, a key source of income for Moscow as it releases its military offensive in Ukraine.
India has said that “is ready” to support efforts to end the war in Ukraine and support a summit that will be held between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska later today.
However, the United States has announced that it will double new import rates in India from 25 percent to 50 percent before August 27 if New Delhi does not change its raw suppliers.
“We know that we continue to depend on many countries to meet our energy needs,” said Modi. “But to build a truly self -sufficient India, we must achieve the independence of energy.”
Modi did not speak directly about Trump, but said that “he would remain as a wall” against any policy that harms the interests of farmers.
Agriculture uses a large number of people in India and has been a key conflict point in commercial negotiations.
“When economic selfishness rises day by day … we should not sit and worry about the crisis, but focus on our strengths,” said Modi.
The Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, in a statement congratulating the Independence Day of India, said that the relations between the two nations were “consistent and of great reach”, and wanted to “guarantee a brighter future for both.”
‘Blood and water’
Modi also urged scientists and engineers to concentrate on building sectors and key technologies, including combat reaction engines, semiconductor chips and military hardware systems.
“We will have semiconductor chips made in India in the market at the end of the year,” said Modi.
He added that the country was also working to build a space station and would have a “defense shield” in the next decade, without giving more details.
Modi also honored the Indian Armed Forces, who participated in a four -day conflict with the archirrival Pakistan that ended in a high fire on May 10.
“India will give an adequate response to any other misfortune on the part of the enemy,” he added, and referred to the New Delhi suspension of the Indo Water Treaty (IWT).
“India has decided that blood and water will not flow together,” he added.
May’s conflict was caused when New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack of the pahalgama on April 22 without evidence, a claim strongly refuted by Pakistan.
In response to the attack, India kept the IWT in suspense, violating the agreement itself.
Pakistan described any attempt to suspend his water to share a “act of war”, noting that the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension. He later said that he was considering judicial action, citing a violation of the Vienna Convention of 1969 on the Law of Treaties.
From May 6 to 7, New Delhi launched air attacks that killed civilians. In retaliation, PAF demolished six Indian airplanes in Aire-Aire combat on May 7. The general general general in India has also recognized that his forces suffered losses in the air, but denied having lost six planes.
