Updated on: Aug 15, 2026, 08:32:56 IST By Priyanshu Priya Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday highlighted the multiple crises India faced over the past decade, from the Covid-19 pandemic and wars to fears over shortages of essential supplies, saying the country overcame them through careful planning and preparation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation during the 8oth Independence Day celebrations, at Red Fort in New Delhi. (YouTube/@narendramodi) Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, Modi said the pandemic had plunged the world into uncertainty and placed systems under severe strain.
As countries began recovering from Covid-19, wars in Ukraine and West Asia brought fresh challenges, he said.
Track PM Modi Red Fort address LIVE.
Modi also criticised those who, according to him, spread alarming predictions and rumours during times of crisis.
Deep Dive Powered ByAsk HT “And who knows what all the so-called forecasters had predicted.
Some people seemed to take pleasure in frightening Indians and keeping them immersed in fear and anxiety,” he said.
‘Preparations of past 10-12 years bearing fruit’ The Prime Minister said India’s response to these crises showed that the preparations and policies put in place over the past 10-12 years had strengthened the country’s ability to deal with major disruptions.
“But the country has seen that the well-thought-out plans of the past 10–12 years are bearing fruit,” he said.
Modi said the government’s approach during the pandemic was guided by the principle of “Nagrik Devo Bhava”, under which citizens were treated as the highest priority.
“The preparations India had made, the steps it had taken one after another – although we had not anticipated that such a crisis would come – all these preparations proved useful when the crisis arrived,” he said.
Pointing to the availability of essential supplies today, Modi said, “And today, the country has gas, petrol and urea.” He added that India was increasingly building its strength on its own capabilities, saying, “We are standing on our own strength (hum apni takat ke upar khade ho rahe hain).” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Priyanshu Priya Priyanshu Priya is a journalist with nearly three years of newsroom experience, driven by a deep belief that stories, when told right, can shape conversations and hold power to account.
Currently working as a Senior Content Producer with Hindustan Times, she writes on a wide spectrum of issues, from Indian politics and Delhi’s public concerns to global trade tensions and high-stakes crime stories.
Priya joined HT at a pivotal moment, as Operation Sindoor was unfolding, and has since covered some of the most defining developments in recent times.
Her reporting spans the Air India plane crash and the Pahalgam terror attack to India–US trade tensions, unrest in the Middle East, and key Assembly elections across states.
She thrives in the fast-paced world of breaking news.
In 2025–26, she was recognised with the Hindustan Times Digi Journo of the Q3 Award for driving over 4 million page views in a single month.
A postgraduate in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and a Mass Communication graduate from Patna Women’s College, Priya began her news career with the Zee News English team, where she extensively covered the Lok Sabha Election 2024, along with the Delhi and Maharashtra Assembly elections.
