New Delhi: Delivering his first Independence Day speech at the Red Fort here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday described himself as the country's "Pradhan Sevak".
"I stand before you today not as the prime minister but as the pradhan sevak," he said at the start of his speech. "Many, many greetings from the Pradhan Sevak."
Narendra Modi Friday urged SAARC countries to come together to fight poverty in the region.
"Can we not remove poverty? Can we not wage war against poverty?" Modi asked during his address to the nation on Independence Day.
He said: "Why don't we SAARC countries decide to fight against poverty together."
"The strength of the saviour is much more than the strength of the person who kills. Lets unite to fight poverty," the prime minister said adding: "Can we not wage a war and emerge victorious against poverty. Let us defeat poverty."
"Come, Make in India!" Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, urging investors from around the world to make this country a manufacturing hub.
"I tell the world, Make in India, "Sell anywhere but manufacture here. We have the skill and talent."
He added: "Our dreams should be that all over the world we can say 'Made in India'."
The prime minister said that Indian products should have zero defects and the manufacturing must not derail environment.
"Let us think about zero defect... that our products are not defective and have zero effect on the environment.
"Let us come together and think of ways India does not have to import but export to the world," he added.
As per record, this is the longest speech that has ever been delivered by a Prime Minister of India.
Here we are giving you updates of Narendra Modi's maiden Independence Day speech from the Red Fort:
