New Delhi Aug 15 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday pitched yoga, Ayurveda, India’s holistic healthcare traditions and its creative industries as key elements of the country’s soft power.
In his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, Modi placed India’s soft power as the seventh stream of his “Sapta Dhara” vision for building a developed India.
“India’s soft power is a great strength. Today, yoga has connected the entire world with India. Yoga is becoming a source of energy for the world and an important reason for the trust that people place in Bharat,” he said.
Modi also highlighted India’s spiritual centres and holistic healthcare, saying the country’s capabilities in the sector could be taken to the global stage through initiatives such as “Heal in India”.
“The strength of Bharat’s soft power is immense,” he said.
Modi said whether it is handicrafts, culture, films, creative world, VFX, animation, gaming or digital content, India can demonstrate its stature in the global creative economy. “We must develop this into a global strength.” The prime minister also referred to the WAVES (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit), saying gradually, the world is beginning to look forward to the summit. It will introduce Bharat’s soft power and creative ecosystem to the world, he added.
Modi also pointed to the growing global appeal of sports and the “concert economy”, saying India should create the infrastructure needed to host major international sporting events and concerts.
“The concert economy is growing rapidly and has tremendous appeal for the country’s youth. Artistes from across the world want to perform concerts on Indian soil at some point. This is a huge opportunity, and we must create the systems and infrastructure needed to mobilise this opportunity,” he said.
Modi further said that India is hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and is a strong contender to host the 2036 Olympics. To ensure that India has a strong presence at the Olympics, a nationwide talent hunt would be launched to identify prospects in the age group of 5 to 15, he added. PTI PLB SKY SKY
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