Seventy-five years ago, on August 15, 1947, India gained its independence. Indeed, its global interaction with India has defined it as an independent nation throughout its history. The Indian Independence Act led to the founding of India as an independent nation. The law declared that British rule in India ended on August 15, 1947. On that day, India became an independent country, and India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, addressed the nation and drew the Indian tricolor from Red Fort
At a committee meeting to mark the anniversary, the prime minister said it was a celebration of the spirit of the freedom struggle and a reflection of the sense of sacrifice. India has come a long way, and we are all celebrating independence because of selfless sacrifice and unconventional commitment to freedom fighters, which liberated India.
India has established relations with world powers such as Great Britain, the European Union, Japan, Russia, and the United States. It houses one-sixth of the world’s population, maintains a unique democratic ethos, and pursues a foreign policy of national interests and solidarity with developing countries. India has invested heavily in its relations with neighboring countries, including China, to create a favorable environment for economic growth.
In this round of progress, India’s standing in the international arena has increased, reflected in its participation in several critical multilateral fora and consolidating bilateral relations with several countries. The present economic growth of India – the fastest-growing major economy in 2015 – 2021 has increased its standing on the world stage, and it is now the most advanced country and performing strongly. Its economy is also the second-largest in the world regarding purchasing power parity, giving it more significant global clout and power by expanding and modernizing its military capabilities.
India has 5000+ years old history, 1/6th of the landmass, and almost five times the USA’s population. India’s challenges are 1000 times more complex. India is the largest exporter of intellectual brainpower to the entire world.
Celebrating India’s Independence Day should not deter the spirit from imagining a powerful, prosperous, and peaceful India in 2047, when India celebrates 100 years of independence.
The devastation of Covid-19 and growing international competition underscore India’s difficulties in transforming itself from a prosperous middle-income country into a safe community and proactively shaping international norms. In this changing global landscape, India has an opportunity to create a new framework for its security, growth, and development and that of developing countries around the world. Given the pace of change and the challenges ahead, India can build a more inclusive and equitable international order on Independence Day, marking the centenary of its independence.
Another mistake of the rest of the world, in my view, is not to consider the growing impact that large developing countries such as China and India will have on the world. In many ways, the domestic problems that India’s leaders must overcome will make India’s already complex country more challenging to negotiate and cooperate with smaller nations when they reach higher income levels. Nor will India avoid new problems, including social inclusion, caste, religion, and gender, which will make it a more complex nation.
As India enters its 75th year of independence, there are many reasons to be cautiously optimistic about its place in the world. Since independence, India has reclaimed its progressive school of thought, namely democracy, secularism, law, respect for human rights, rational and deductive thinking, and science and technology development. On the other hand, India has proved to be a “bridge between the many extremes of the world,” as a former prime minister once noted Manmohan Singh.
As India continues to address its urgent goals of economic and human development and social justice, I believe India, like China, is an emerging world power and has an extensive unfinished domestic agenda. How many poor people are in the country need programs of the government during the pandemic to survive?
Since independence, India’s destiny has been closely linked to the rest of the world. India has played an activist role in decolonizing the world, providing diplomatic and security assistance to independence movements in Asia and Africa, and sending military missions to Korea and Congo. It has also taken the lead in initiatives to improve relations with African and Asian countries.
India, home to many traditions and the largest and most vibrant democracy, has won the most medals in 121 years of Olympic participation. India will launch a one-year celebration of 75 years of independence in August 2021, with a series of programs and projects covering development, governance, technology, reform, and policy progress over the years.
According to the official website of Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav of the Ministry of Culture, the Indian government has stated that the 75th Independence Day celebration will take place on August 15, 2022.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised healthcare workers and scientists for helping India fight Covid-19 as the country celebrated 75 years of independence.
India’s relentless march to independence has inspired people around the world. On India’s 75th Independence Day, each of us can make three promises to help us cope with the next 25 years:
- Respect for science.
- Cultivate and adopt a scientific temperament.
- Tackle problems by nature.
- Return to the first principles.
We require collaboration at all levels to build a better India and a better future for humanity.
