My young friends, my greetings to all of you. The beginning of the year 2026 is ushering in new happiness in your lives. With Vasant Panchami having just passed yesterday, a new spring is also beginning in your lives. This period is also connecting you with your constitutional duties. Coincidentally, the nation is currently celebrating the great festival of the Republic. Yesterday, on 23 January, we observed Parakram Diwas on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose; tomorrow, 25 January, is National Voters’ Day, followed by Republic Day on 26 January. Today is also a special day. On this very day, our Constitution adopted “Jana Gana Mana” as the National Anthem and “Vande Mataram” as the National Song.
On this significant day, more than 61,000 young citizens are beginning a new chapter in their lives. Today, you are receiving appointment letters for government services. In a way, this is an invitation letter for nation building. It is a letter of resolve to accelerate the creation of a Developed India. Many among you will strengthen the country’s security; some will further empower our education and healthcare ecosystems; several will reinforce financial services and energy security; and many young professionals will play an important role in the growth of our public sector enterprises. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all of you.
Friends,
Connecting youth with skills and providing them opportunities for employment and self-employment has been a priority of our government. To ensure that government recruitment is carried out in mission mode, the Rozgar Mela was launched. Over the past few years, the Rozgar Mela has evolved into an institution. Through this initiative, lakhs of young people have already received appointment letters across various government departments. Expanding this mission further, today Rozgar Melas are being organised at more than forty locations across the country. I extend a special welcome to all the young participants present at these venues.
Friends,
Today, India is among the youngest nations in the world. Our government is continuously striving to create new opportunities for India’s youth, both domestically and globally. The Government of India is entering into trade and mobility agreements with several countries. These trade agreements are opening up numerous new opportunities for Indian youth.
Friends,
In recent years, India has made unprecedented investments in modern infrastructure. This has significantly increased employment across all construction-related sectors. India’s start-up ecosystem is also expanding rapidly. Today, the country has nearly two lakh registered start-ups, employing more than 2.1 million young people. Similarly, Digital India has given rise to a new and expanding economy. In areas such as animation and digital media, India is steadily emerging as a global hub. India’s creator economy is growing at a very fast pace, offering new and diverse opportunities for the youth.
My young friends,
The growing global confidence in India is also creating many new possibilities for our youth. India is the only major economy in the world that has doubled its GDP within a decade. Today, more than 100 countries are investing in India through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Compared to the ten years prior to 2014, India has received more than two-and-a-half times higher FDI. Increased foreign investment directly translates into countless employment opportunities for India’s youth.
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