Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to raise millions out of poverty and turn India into a developed country in the next quarter-century, as he marked 75 years since independence from British rule.
Modi addressed the country Monday from New Delhi's 17th century Mughal-era Red Fort with a flowing, cream-colored turban printed with small stripes of orange, white and green.
The journey of the past 75 years had seen ups and downs with India battling all odds with resilience and perseverance, according to Modi. He asked people to remove any trace of their colonial mindset.
President Joe Biden said in a statement celebrating Indian Independence Day that the two countries are indispensable partners in a shared commitment to the rule of law and the promotion of human freedom and dignity.
Biden said he was confident that the two countries would continue to stand together to defend the rules-based order, promote greater peace, prosperity and security for our people, advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, and address the challenges we face around the world. Modi said India will be guided by the ideals of self-reliance and the spirit of international partnership to achieve excellence in science and technology, set up industries and achieve food and energy security. He said billions of dollars were flowing into the country, turning it into a manufacturing hub.