Ahmedabad: Amid rising concerns over US policies affecting India after US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India’s “real enemy” is its dependence on other countries.
While addressing a public rally in Gujarat, he stressed upon the need to become self-reliant in order to ensure national strength and global respect.
“We have no major enemy in the world. Our only real enemy is our dependence on other countries. This is our biggest enemy, and together we must defeat this enemy of India, the enemy of dependence,” Modi said in Bhavnagar.
#WATCH | Gujarat | Addressing a public rally in Bhavnagar, PM Modi says, “Duniya mein koi hamara bada dushman nahi hai. Agar hamara koi dushman hai toh woh hai dusre deshon par hamari nirbharta…”
“Today, India is moving forward with the spirit of ‘Vishwabandhu’. We have no… pic.twitter.com/f6zNRbN9Rc
— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2025
He linked Atmanirbharta with national pride and the future of the country. “The greater the foreign dependence, the greater the nation’s failure. For global peace, stability, and prosperity, the country with the world’s largest population must become Atmanirbhar,” the PM added.
On Friday, Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, effective September 21. According to experts, India, which accounts for 71% of H-1B visa holders, is likely to be affected the most. Modi’s remark also comes at a time when there has been no relief from the sweeping 50% tariffs imposed by the US on Indian imports.
“If we remain dependent on others, our self-respect will be hurt. We cannot leave the future of 1.4 billion countrymen to others,” Modi said, adding India cannot rely on others for its development or risk the future of coming generations. The PM dubbed the concept of a self-reliant India to be the only medicine for a hundred sorrows.
