Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for a stronger network of civil defence volunteers, saying India must be prepared to deal with challenges both within the country and across its borders.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on India’s 80th Independence Day, Modi said India needed to build a voluntary force that could respond to modern security and other challenges.
“I announce today from the Red Fort that we will establish a vibrant Civil Defence network in the coming days. We will familiarize them with modern systems. What measures can be put in place to protect citizens from modern-day crises? We are going to create a massive, modern Civil Defence volunteer force capable of overcoming contemporary challenges,” Modi said.
What is Civil Defence?
India's Civil Defence Rules, 1968, framed under the Civil Defence Act, provide a framework for protecting civilians, property and infrastructure during hostile attacks and other emergencies.
The framework allows the Central and state governments to take preventive, protective and control measures before, during and after an attack. Civil defence measures include protecting people and property, reducing the impact of attacks and supporting response and recovery efforts.
The Prime minister's Civil Defence announcement adds a civilian preparedness component to his broader Independence Day focus on national security and self-reliance.
Earlier in the address, he said India needed to become self-reliant in defence and move beyond being a market for global defence companies.
“It is important for us to become self reliant in defence,” Modi said.
“When the world is thinking about itself, India cannot remain merely a market for the world. We have to become global suppliers. We have to take leadership in hypersonic defence technologies,” he said.
Meanwhile, India’s domestic defence production stood at ₹1.78 lakh crore in FY26, compared with ₹46,000 crore in 2014, according to government data. Defence exports reached ₹38,424 crore in FY26.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that military projects worth more than ₹8.75 lakh crore had been approved over the last year as the government works to modernise the armed forces.
