Amid US President Trump's 25 percent tariff, PM Modi says India should remain vigilant over its economic interests, vows to protect farmers’ interests

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India will have to remain alert for its economic interests given the atmosphere of instability prevailing across the globe. He emphasised that the “top priority of the government remains the welfare of farmers, small industries and employment for youth.”

PM Modi urges citizens to resolve to buy ‘swadeshi’ products 

The Prime Minister also urged citizens to resolve to buy ‘swadeshi’ products as he reiterated his pitch that the country needs to adopt ‘vocal for local’. “We will buy only those things that are made by Indians. We need to become vocal for local,” PM Modi said while addressing a rally in his home constituency of Varanasi.

“There is an atmosphere of global instability. All countries are focusing on their individual interests. India is set to become the third biggest economy in the world, and that is why India will have to stay alert as far as its economic interests are concerned,” he added. The Prime Minister further stated that the top priority of the government remains to work for farmers, small-scale industries, and to generate employment opportunities for youth in the country.

“Our farmers, our small-scale industries, the employment for youth – their interest is our top priority. The government is doing everything it can in the best interest of the country. However, there are some responsibilities we have as citizens,” PM Modi said.

PM Modi says India should remain vigilant over its economic interests, vows to protect farmers’ interests

He said that those who wish to see India as the third biggest economy must resolve to buy ‘swadeshi’ products. “Those who want the best for the country and want to see India as the third biggest economy in the world, be it any political party, should leave their differences aside and instill a resolution for ‘swadeshi’ products,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also appealed to “brothers and sisters in the business community” that when the world is going through such an atmosphere of instability, we too should sell only swadeshi goods.”

Recently, US President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from India and also issued a warning of further penalties over India’s continued purchases of Russian oil and military equipment.

PM Modi's Varanasi visit 

Earlier in the day, PM Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth around Rs 2,200 crore in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi.

On his 51st visit to his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi, PM Modi inaugurated the widening and strengthening of the Varanasi-Bhadohi road and Chhitauni-Shool Tankeshwar road, as well as the Railway Overbridge at Hardattpur, to ease congestion on the Mohan Sarai-Adalpura Road.

He laid the foundation stone for comprehensive road widening and strengthening across multiple rural and urban corridors, including Dalmandi, Lahartara-Kotwa, Gangapur, Babatpur, among others, and Railway Overbridges at Level Crossing 22C and Khalispur Yard.

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