Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (July 26, 2026) urged young Indians to play a constructive role in nation-building by connecting with border villages through the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026.
He expressed confidence that India’s youth would play a decisive role in shaping the country’s future. He said that when young people connect directly with the nation’s challenges and opportunities, the country’s future becomes stronger and brighter. The statement comes a day after youth-led protests forced Dharmendra Pradhan to resign as Education Minister.
Interacting with participants of the programmes, the Prime Minister welcomed youth representatives from around 250 districts and praised the growing reach of the Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) platform, which, he said, has expanded to include crores of young citizens engaged in national development initiatives.
Highlighting the role of the youth in shaping India’s future, Mr. Modi said MY Bharat volunteers have demonstrated their capabilities through programmes such as the Viksit Bharat Dialogue and the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme. He said connecting young people with the realities of rural and border regions helps broaden their understanding of the nation and strengthens their commitment to public service.
Recalling the programme’s origins during the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, Mr. Modi said more than 400 youth were selected from nearly three lakh applicants to visit border villages in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh. The initiative, he said, was designed to introduce participants to local culture, understand the aspirations of border communities, and witness the dedication of India’s armed forces.
Describing the experience as a living example of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, the Prime Minister said such interactions foster national unity while giving young people an opportunity to learn beyond classrooms.
On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Mr. Modi paid tributes to the armed forces and recalled the sacrifices made by soldiers in defending the nation’s borders.
Emphasising the importance of border villages in India’s development journey, the Prime Minister said the government’s approach has shifted from treating them as the country’s “last villages” to recognising them as the “first villages” of India. He highlighted improvements in road connectivity, electricity, drinking water, LPG connections and internet services, saying these have transformed livelihoods and boosted tourism in frontier regions.
Calling upon participants to become ambassadors of border tourism, Mr. Modi urged every youth to share their experiences with at least 100 others. He encouraged them to collaborate with content creators, promote local culture and products, organise family visits and advocate educational tours to border areas through schools and colleges.
