Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his 12th consecutive Independence Day address on Friday to send a clear signal to US President Donald Trump — India will not compromise on protecting its farmers, even if it comes at a diplomatic or economic cost.

“It was a challenge to ensure food for everyone post-independence, but our farmers made us self-sufficient… Modi stands like a wall, won’t compromise on farmers,” he declared from the Red Fort, hailing cultivators as the backbone of the nation’s food security.

The remarks come against the backdrop of stalled trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington. Talks have hit a dead end over India’s refusal to open its domestic market to American agricultural and dairy imports — a key demand from Trump’s administration. In response, the US has slapped a 25% tariff on Indian goods and announced another 25% levy, citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.

Reiterating his government’s push for an Atmanirbhar Bharat, Modi said dependence on foreign nations was “a recipe for disaster” and stressed that self-reliance was essential for safeguarding national interests. He linked this philosophy to agriculture, energy, technology, and defence production.

The Prime Minister announced that “Made-in-India” semiconductor chips would reach the market before year-end and urged scientists to develop indigenous fighter jet engines and domestic fertilisers. He also set ambitious energy goals, noting that solar capacity had grown 30-fold in the past 11 years and that ten nuclear reactors were already operational. By India’s centenary of independence, he said, nuclear energy output should be increased tenfold.