Narendra Modi warns nations are using control over "petrol, diesel, fertilisers" to pressure others

In his Independence Day address from the Red Fort in New Delhi on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that countries are increasingly using control over essential goods—such as fuels, crop nutrients, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and key shipping routes—to pressure other nations. He cited global fertilizer prices as an example, noting that Indian farmers pay far less because the government absorbs the difference. Modi argued that such vulnerabilities are why India has focused on self-reliance, boosting domestic production, diversifying imports, and building reserves. The remarks matter because they frame economic security as closely tied to resource security, with India seeking to protect itself from future supply disruptions and price shocks.