Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the nation on the 80th Independence Day, put technology and innovation at the forefront of India’s growth ambitions, calling for leadership in emerging technologies and announcing AI skilling for one crore youth over the next year. He also announced the Centre’s decision to start financial coaching centres to ease the financial burden on students and their families.

PM Modi said new frontiers in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space, robotics and data centres are opening up rapidly, and stressed the need for India to take the lead in technology and innovation.

In his speech, PM Modi outlined a seven-point framework for ‘Viksit Bharat’. He also identified technology and innovation as the third ‘shakti’ of the “Sapta Dhara” vision, saying rapid advances in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, space, robotics and data centres were opening up new opportunities.

“Today, the world is one of AI, quantum, space, robotics and data centres. New areas have opened up,” the Prime Minister said, noting that emerging technologies were also presenting fresh challenges.

PM Modi said India had already demonstrated its capabilities in UPI and digital public infrastructure to the world, and now needs to emerge as a force in ‘digital public technologies’.

“India must lead in next-generation communications technology. Made-in-India 6G should reach every corner, and that should be our goal,” he said.

Placing a strong emphasis on preparing India’s youth for the artificial intelligence-driven economy, PM Modi announced a large-scale skilling push.

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“In the coming one year, we will work to provide AI skill training to one crore youth, so that India’s youth can lead in the AI era,” PM Modi said.

Push for coaching centres

PM Modi also announced free online coaching for aspirants preparing for competitive exams to ease the financial burden on their families and promised AI training for one crore youth. “Coaching classes burden the poor and the middle class. We will provide free online coaching for various exams.”

“Every parent feels that if they do not send their child to a coaching class, they are not a prestigious family,” he said from the Red Fort. The Prime Minister said he assures these families that they can save ‘thousands of crores of rupees’ spent on coaching, be close to their children, and care for them.

“And therefore, we have decided to provide free online coaching for various examinations for the youth. We have digital public infrastructure; we have excellent talent and teachers. By bringing these resources together, we are going to build a complete network to provide free coaching to the youth of the country,” PM Modi said.

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The Prime Minister also announced that one crore youth will be trained in AI skills over the next year.