C-295 Aircraft Deal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the June 28 episode of “Mann Ki Baat” to say that India is getting stronger on its own feet in defence, technology and manufacturing. He said the month had brought achievements that make citizens proud and pointed to big steps in aviation, the navy and missiles.
In the official transcript, he began by saying, “It gives me immense joy to connect with all of you once again through ‘Mann Ki Baat’.” He also linked these gains to the country’s march toward self-reliance, using the phrase “from the seas to the skies.”
C-295 Aircraft
Modi first spoke about the made-in-India C-295 aircraft. He said the aircraft completed its maiden flight and that 40 such aircraft are being made in India. The official PMO page says this project is giving new energy to MSMEs and the aerospace sector, while also creating jobs and building the Atmanirbhar Bharat push. He also reminded listeners that the Indian Air Force is buying 56 C-295 aircraft, with local assembly being done in Vadodara with Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus.
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Indian Navy Strength
He then spoke about the Indian Navy. Modi said INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak and INS Agray were added to the Navy’s fleet during a programme in Kolkata. He stressed, “From the design to manufacturing of these ships, everything is indigenous.”
He also mentioned the successful flight-test of the indigenous Long-Range Land-Attack Cruise Missile, or LRLACM, conducted by DRDO on June 15 off the Odisha coast. The official DRDO release says the test met all objectives and that the missile was built with help from DRDO labs and Indian industry partners. Modi used this example to say, “from the seas to the skies, our India is becoming increasingly secure and self-reliant.”
Self-reliance
Modi also talked about how self-reliance is not only about weapons and factories. He thanked citizens for supporting his appeal to avoid gold buying for some time, reduce foreign holidays where possible, use car pools, and support chemical-free farming. In the transcript he said “Friends, I am grateful to every citizen of the country; not only have they supported my appeal, they are also actively cooperating in every way.” He added that people had shared stories about skipping gold purchases for weddings, delaying trips abroad and using buses, metros and car pools more often.
He then moved to education and culture. Modi said the Central Sanskrit University in Delhi is starting a B.Tech programme in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. He called it “a crucial step towards integrating modern technology with India’s traditional knowledge.” He said this would help build AI tools for Indian languages and support the digitisation of old texts and manuscripts.
The Prime Minister also praised cultural groups abroad. He spoke about “Brahmakamal Dominicana” in the Dominican Republic, where local Spanish-speaking people study Vedic texts and chant mantras with no formal training, mainly by listening to audio recordings.
They also spoke about the Hargila bird in Assam and said, “Hargila was considered inauspicious in certain parts of Assam and trees housing Hargila nests were even cut down,” before adding that “Then, a major transformation began.” He said biologist Purnima Devi Barman helped change public thinking and turn the bird into a symbol of local pride
