From Chips to Ships, India Is Building the Future: PM Modi

• PM Modi inaugurates and dedicates development projects worth over ₹35,000 crore.
• Says the 2,800-km Dedicated Freight Corridor is transforming freight movement.
• Highlights India’s expanding manufacturing capabilities from chips to aircraft.
• Calls for AI-ready youth, skill development and infrastructure for Viksit Bharat.

GG News Bureau
Vadodara, 8th Sept: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid foundation stones, inaugurated and dedicated development projects worth more than ₹35,000 crore in Vadodara, Gujarat, and said the government is strengthening infrastructure to accelerate the movement of people and goods, create opportunities and support economic growth.

Highlighting the completion of the 2,800-km Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), the Prime Minister described it as a lifeline of a rapidly developing India. He said the Eastern and Western DFCs are transforming the country’s commercial landscape by separating freight and passenger traffic.

According to the Prime Minister, more than 430 cargo trains can operate daily on the dedicated network, while freight journeys that earlier took around 30 hours by road can now be completed in 10–12 hours. He said the improved logistics network would reduce fuel consumption and freight costs while also benefiting the environment.

Shri Modi highlighted the benefits for farmers, saying faster freight movement would help transport perishable products such as flowers, fruits and vegetables to markets and mandis on time. He also referred to the operation of a double-stack container freight train from JNPT Port to Vadodara, carrying cargo equivalent to more than 250 trucks.

The Prime Minister also highlighted new rail connectivity to tribal regions of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, including services benefiting commuters in Chhota Udepur and Alirajpur.

On manufacturing, Shri Modi said Vadodara’s industrial growth reflects India’s expanding manufacturing capabilities. He noted that the city has emerged as a major industrial and MSME centre and is also associated with the production of India’s first domestically manufactured C-295 military transport aircraft.

He said India has manufactured 50,000 modern railway coaches and added nearly 2.5 lakh wagons to the railway network since 2014. He also highlighted the growth of domestic solar PV manufacturing and said India is building a new manufacturing ecosystem “from chips to ships”.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of a robust energy ecosystem for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and data centres. He said efforts are underway to secure access to uranium, critical minerals and rare earth elements.

Shri Modi also emphasised skill development and said the changing global economy requires continuous upgrading of skills. He highlighted initiatives to prepare young people for emerging technologies, including AI, and said AI skills could support innovation in agriculture, healthcare, robotics, manufacturing and startups.

He also announced an initiative to provide free coaching for competitive examinations, aimed at reducing the financial burden on poor and middle-class families.

Calling on the youth to make full use of India’s demographic dividend, the Prime Minister said sustained efforts are required to achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047.