PM Modi’s special lecture at the University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo

Namaskar!

Our campaign to provide permanent jobs to the youth in the Central Government is continuing steadily. And we are known for this—no recommendation, no corruption. Today, more than 51,000 young people have been given appointment letters. Lakhs of youth have already secured permanent jobs in the Indian government through such Rozgar Melas (employment fairs). These young individuals are now playing a significant role in nation-building. Today, many of you have started your responsibilities in Indian Railways. Some will now become the guardians of the nation's security, others appointed in the Postal Department will help deliver government services to every village, some will be foot soldiers of the Health for All mission, many young professionals will help accelerate financial inclusion, and others will drive Bharat's industrial development forward. Your departments may be different, but the goal is the same. And what is that goal? We must remember it again and again: No matter the department, task, position, or region — the one and only goal is service to the nation. The guiding principle is: Citizen First. You have been given a great platform to serve the people of the country. I congratulate all of you on achieving this great success at such an important stage of life. I extend my best wishes for this new journey in your career.

Friends,

Today the world acknowledges that Bharat has two limitless strengths: one is demography, and the other is democracy—the largest population of youth and the world's biggest democracy. This power of youth is both the greatest asset and the strongest guarantee for Bharat’s bright future. Our government is working day and night to turn this strength into a formula for prosperity. As you all know, I have just returned from a visit to five countries. In every country, I could hear the praise and recognition of Bharat’s youth power. All the agreements signed during these visits will certainly benefit Bharat’s youth, both at home and abroad. In sectors like defence, pharmaceuticals, digital technology, energy, and rare earth minerals, the agreements made will bring significant advantages to Bharat in the coming days. They will give a strong boost to Bharat’s manufacturing and services sectors.

Friends,

With changing times, the nature of jobs in the 21st century is also evolving, and new sectors are constantly emerging. That is why, Bharat has focused on preparing its youth for these changes over the past decade. Important decisions have been taken, and modern policies have been formulated keeping in mind the needs of the present era. The ecosystem of start-ups, innovation, and research that is taking shape in the country today is enhancing the potential of our youth. When I see young people aspiring to launch their own start-ups, it increases my own confidence. Just now, Dr. Jitendra Singh ji also shared some detailed statistics with you regarding start-ups. I feel proud to see that the youth of my country is moving forward with great vision, speed, and strength, with a desire to do something new.

Friends,

The Indian government is also focusing on creating new employment opportunities in the private sector. Recently, the government has approved a new scheme — the Employment Linked Incentive Scheme. Under this scheme, the government will provide 15,000 rupees to a youth getting their first job in the private sector. In other words, the government will contribute towards the first salary of the first job. For this, the government has allocated a budget of around 1 lakh crore rupees. This scheme is expected to help in the creation of approximately 3.5 crore new jobs.

Friends,

Today, one of Bharat’s greatest strengths is our manufacturing sector. A large number of new jobs are being created in manufacturing. To boost this sector, this year’s Union Budget has announced the launch of Mission Manufacturing. Over the past few years, we have strengthened the Make in India initiative. Just through the PLI (Production Linked Incentive) Scheme, more than 11 lakh jobs have been created in the country. The mobile phone and electronics sectors have witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years. Today, electronics manufacturing worth nearly 11 lakh crore rupees is taking place in Bharat. That’s a more than fivefold increase in the past 11 years. Earlier, Bharat had only 2 or 4 mobile phone manufacturing units. Now, we have nearly 300 units related to mobile phone manufacturing, employing lakhs of young people. Another prominent sector is defence manufacturing, which is gaining even more attention and pride after Operation Sindoor. Bharat is setting new records in defence production. Our defence production has now crossed 1.25 lakh crore rupees. Bharat has also achieved a major milestone in the locomotive sector — we are now the largest producer of locomotives in the world. Whether it’s locomotives, rail coaches, or metro coaches, Bharat is exporting them in large numbers to many countries. Our automobile sector is also experiencing unprecedented growth.

In just the last 5 years, the sector has received about $40 billion in FDI (Foreign Direct Investment). That means new companies have come in, new factories have been established, new jobs have been created — and at the same time, vehicle demand has surged, with record sales of automobiles in Bharat. Bharat’s progress in various sectors, and these manufacturing records, don’t happen on their own. They are possible only because more and more young people are getting jobs. It is their hard work, intellect, and dedication that have made this possible. Bharat’s youth have not only found employment, but they’ve also excelled at it. Now, as government employees, it is your duty to ensure that this momentum in the manufacturing sector continues. Wherever you are assigned, you must act as an enabler, an encourager, remove obstacles, and simplify processes. The more ease you bring to the system, the more benefit it will bring to the people of the country.

Friends,

Today, our country is rapidly progressing towards becoming the third-largest economy in the world, and any Indian can proudly say this. This achievement is the result of the hard work and sweat of our youth. In the past 11 years, the nation has made progress in every sector. Recently, a very commendable report was released by the International Labour Organization (ILO). This report highlights that more than 90 crore citizens in Bharat have been brought under the umbrella of welfare schemes over the last decade. This is essentially the expansion of social security. And the impact of these schemes goes far beyond welfare—they have also generated a massive number of new jobs. Let me give you a simple example — the PM Awas Yojana. Under this scheme, 4 crore new pucca (permanent) houses have already been built, and construction of 3 crore more houses is currently underway. Now, when such a large number of homes are being built, masons, labourers, suppliers of raw materials, transport operators, local shopkeepers, and truck drivers—all get work. Imagine the enormous number of jobs created through this! What’s even more heartening is that most of these jobs are in rural areas, so people don’t need to migrate to cities. Similarly, 12 crore new toilets have been constructed across the country. This has created work not only in construction but also for plumbers, carpenters, and skilled workers from our Vishwakarma community. This is how job creation expands and leaves a real impact. Likewise, over 10 crore new LPG connections have been provided under the Ujjwala scheme. To support this, a large number of bottling plants have been set up, creating employment for cylinder manufacturers, distribution agencies, and delivery personnel. Each initiative—if you examine closely—creates multiple layers of employment opportunities. Lakhs of people have gained new jobs from such initiatives.

Friends,

I would like to mention another scheme, one that truly brings double the benefit—like having a laddu in each hand, as we say. That scheme is the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. Under this scheme, the government is giving an average subsidy of over 75,000 rupees per household to install rooftop solar panels. This essentially turns your roof into a power plant—generating electricity not just for your own use, but also for sale to the grid if there's surplus. This brings electricity bills down to zero and saves families significant money. Engineers and technicians are needed to install the plants. Solar panel manufacturing factories and raw material suppliers are growing. Transport operators are employed to move materials. A whole new industry is emerging for the maintenance and repair of these systems. Just imagine—the benefits are not only helping citizens, but also creating lakhs of new employment opportunities.

Friends,

The ‘Namo Drone Didi’ initiative has increased the income of our sisters and daughters and also created new employment opportunities in rural areas. Under this scheme, lakhs of rural women are being trained as drone pilots. Available reports show that our Drone Didis—mothers and sisters from our villages—are earning lakhs of rupees in a single farming season by offering drone-based agricultural services on a contract basis. Not only that, this initiative is also giving a big boost to the drone manufacturing sector in the country. Whether in agriculture or defence, drone manufacturing is opening up new avenues for the youth of our country.

Friends,

The campaign to create 3 crore Lakhpati Didis is ongoing. Out of these, 1.5 crore women have already achieved this milestone. And as you know, becoming a Lakhpati Didi means earning at least 1 lakh rupees every year, consistently—not just once. That is the benchmark. 1.5 crore Lakhpati Didis! Today, if you visit villages, you’ll often hear terms like Bank Sakhis, Bima Sakhis, Krishi Sakhis, Pashu Sakhis—these are various schemes through which our mothers and sisters in villages have got employment opportunities. Similarly, under the PM SVANidhi Scheme, street vendors and hawkers were given support for the first time. Lakhs have benefited from it. Because of digital payments, even roadside vendors now prefer UPI over cash. Why? Because it gives them instant access to more credit from the bank. Banks trust them more, and they don’t need piles of paperwork. This means that even a humble street vendor now moves forward with confidence and pride. Take the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, for example. It’s focused on modernizing and upgrading traditional, ancestral, and family-based crafts and trades. It helps by: Providing modern tools, offering training to artisans, craftsmen, and service providers, facilitating easy loans. There are countless such schemes, through which the poor have been uplifted, and youth have found employment. The impact of all these initiatives is so significant that, in just 10 years, 25 crore Indians have risen out of poverty. Think about it—if they hadn’t found employment, if there was no income in the family, how would a person who had been poor for three or four generations even imagine coming out of that darkness? For them, each day was a struggle for survival, and life felt like a burden. But today, they have defeated poverty with their strength and courage. These 25 crore brothers and sisters have emerged victorious, and I salute their determination. They used the government’s schemes as tools, didn't sit around and complain—they fought back against poverty, uprooted it, and conquered it. Now imagine, the new self-confidence that is building among these 25 crore people! When a person overcomes a crisis, a new strength emerges. This new strength has also emerged in my country, and it will play a vital role in taking the country forward. And let me be clear—this is not just the government saying it. Today, global institutions like the World Bank are openly praising Bharat for this achievement. The world is presenting Bharat as a model. Bharat is now being ranked among the top countries in the world in terms of equality—which means inequality is decreasing rapidly, and we are moving toward greater equality. The world is now taking note of this transformation.

Friends,

The great mission of development, the movement for welfare of the poor and employment generation that is currently underway—you now share the responsibility of taking it forward from today. The government should never be a hurdle; it should always be a facilitator of growth. Every individual deserves the opportunity to move ahead. It is our role to extend a helping hand. And you, my friends, are young. I have great faith in you. I have high expectations from you. Wherever you're assigned, you must always put the citizens first. Helping them, easing their difficulties—that alone will push the nation forward rapidly. You are to become active participants in Bharat’s Amrit Kaal—this golden period of opportunity. The next 20 to 25 years are crucial, not just for your career, but for the future of the entire country. These are the defining years for building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India). That is why, your work, your duties, and your goals must be aligned with the resolve to create a ‘Viksit Bharat’. The mantra ‘Nagrik Devo Bhavo’ (Citizen is Divine) must run through your veins, live in your heart and mind, and reflect in your conduct and behaviour.

And I am fully confident, my friends, that this youth power has stood with me over the past 10 years in taking the country forward. They have taken each of my words to heart and done whatever they could for the nation—from wherever they were, in whatever capacity they could. Now that you have been given this opportunity, expectations from you are higher. Your responsibility is greater. And I believe—you will rise to the occasion and make it happen. Once again, I wholeheartedly congratulate you. I extend my warmest wishes to your families, who deserve a bright and prosperous future. May you all achieve great success in life. Keep upgrading yourself continuously through the iGOT platform. Now that you have secured your position, don’t sit back. Dream big, aim high. Through hard work, continuous learning, and bringing fresh results, move ahead. Your progress is the pride of the country and your growth is my satisfaction. That is why, today, as you embark on this new journey in life, I have come here to speak with you, to bless you, and to welcome you as my partner in fulfilling many dreams. As a close and trusted companion, I welcome you warmly. Thank you very much, and best wishes to you all.