Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday underscored the enduring legacy of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and reiterated India’s resolve to emerge as a strong and self-reliant nation while addressing the Parakram Diwas programme in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands via videoconferencing.
Marking Netaji Bose’s birth anniversary, the Prime Minister said January 23 had evolved into a national festival symbolising courage and collective spirit. He noted that Parakram Diwas now forms part of a larger sequence of national commemorations, including National Voters’ Day on January 25, Republic Day on January 26, Beating Retreat on January 29, and Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary on January 30, creating what he described as a “grand festival of the Republic”.
Highlighting the significance of holding the main Parakram Diwas celebrations in Andaman and Nicobar in 2026, Modi said the islands’ history of sacrifice, resistance and association with the freedom movement lent special meaning to the occasion. He recalled the Cellular Jail and the suffering of revolutionaries, stating that repression only strengthened the freedom struggle rather than extinguishing it.
The Prime Minister referred to December 30, 1943, when the national flag was hoisted in the islands under Netaji Bose’s leadership, calling it a historic moment that preceded India’s independence. He recalled hoisting the tricolour at the same site in 2018 during the 75th anniversary of the event, describing it as a tribute to the aspirations of freedom fighters.
Modi said India’s post-Independence leadership failed to adequately preserve the historical legacy of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, alleging that political insecurity led to the selective recognition of the freedom movement. He pointed to the continued use of colonial-era names for decades. He said his government had corrected this by renaming Port Blair as Shri Vijaypuram and the islands as Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, and Subhash Dweep. He also noted that 21 islands were named after Param Vir Chakra awardees in 2023.
Emphasising that Netaji Bose was a visionary for independent India, Modi said Bose envisaged a modern nation rooted in civilisational values. He said the government had taken steps to institutionalise Bose’s legacy, including setting up a museum at the Red Fort, installing a statue near India Gate, recognising the Indian National Army in Republic Day celebrations, and instituting the Subhas Chandra Bose Disaster Management Awards.
Turning to national security, Modi said Bose believed a weak nation could not achieve its goals. He asserted that India was increasingly demonstrating strength, citing Operation Sindoor and the country’s growing defence capabilities. The Prime Minister said defence exports had crossed ₹23,000 crore and highlighted global interest in indigenously developed systems such as the BrahMos missile.
He added that India was modernising its armed forces through self-reliance, aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, and reducing dependence on imports of foreign arms.
Concluding his address, Modi said 1.4 billion citizens were united in the goal of making India a developed nation by 2047, drawing inspiration from Parakram Diwas and Netaji Bose’s ideals.
The event was attended by Andaman and Nicobar Lieutenant Governor Admiral D. K. Joshi (Retd.), Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose INA Trust Chairman Brigadier R. S. Chikara (Retd.), INA veteran Lieutenant R. Madhavan, and other dignitaries.
