Amid the ongoing tariff conundrum with the Trump administration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave a clarion call to Indians to espouse ‘Swadeshi’ (indigenous) products.
Modi called upon traders to sell Indian products, and nudged citizens to only buy domestically produced items.
Addressing a public meeting in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, the PM said the world economy is currently beset with uncertainties.
“There is a climate of uncertainty and apprehension in the global economy. The different countries are concentrating on protecting their self-interests,” he noted.
Recently, the Donald Trump administration in the United States slapped a high tariff of 25 percent on India although the trade negotiations, protracted though, between the two countries are still underway.
Modi said India, which is on course to becoming the world’s 3rd largest economy, remains vigilant to securing its own economic interests.
The interests of Indian farmers, small businesses and jobs for the youth are of paramount importance and the central government is taking every step on this front, he added.
“However, as citizens we also have some duties,” Modi said while stressing upon promoting ‘Swadeshi’ amidst tough global economic and geopolitical circumstances.
The PM said we have to take a pledge to only buy such products which are of Indian origin and made with the sweat of Indians.
“We have to adopt the mantra of ‘Vocal for Local’ and promote ‘Make in India’ products,” he underlined.
Modi made a passionate appeal to the traders and shopkeepers to only sell Indian products henceforth.
“A resolve to sell only India made products will also be a true service to the nation,” he observed.
The PM said soon the festival season as well as the wedding season would arrive, wherein Indians should espouse indigenous products.
“Earlier, I had also appealed to people to desist from destination wedding ceremonies in foreign countries,” he said, adding it resonated widely with the people.
Meanwhile, Modi transferred the 20th installment of the central government’s flagship PM Kisan scheme totalling Rs 20,500 crore to more than 97 million farmers across India.
He also inaugurated or laid the foundation of 52 development projects worth R 2,200 crore for Varanasi.
In his opening remarks Modi said he had come to Varanasi for the first time after the dastardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025.
He noted the unity of 1.4 billion Indians had ensured a resounding victory in Operation Sindoor over Pakistan.
He said the BrahMos missiles made in Uttar Pradesh had obliterated the terrorist camps in Pakistan.
Moreover, Modi maintained his government was working relentlessly for the welfare of farmers.
Since 2019, about Rs 3.75 trillion had been transferred directly to the farmers’ accounts under the PM Kisan scheme.
In UP, 25 million farmers had received Rs 90,000 crore under the mega scheme.
Under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, about Rs 1.75 trillion worth of claims have been settled so far across India.
For giving remunerative prices to farmers, the minimum support price (MSP) slabs had seen record increase in the major cash crops, he said.
“Thousands of new warehouses are being constructed across India. Our priority is also to increase women participation in India’s agri economy,” Modi said.
He said the government is targetting 30 million mark of ‘lakhpati didi’, of which 15 million ‘lakhpati didi’ had already been achieved.
About 550 million Jan Dhan accounts had been opened in the last 10 years even as the PM nudged farmers to cooperate with the banks for updating their KYC details.
Meanwhile, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also addressed the gathering. He said Modi had visited Varanasi 51 times after becoming the PM.