Modi links yoga and maritime strength to India’s future vision

Prime Minister Narendra Modi used two major engagements in Kolkata to highlight yoga as a path to personal well-being and world peace, while stressing maritime strength and defence self-reliance as essential for India's economic growth, security and global influence

Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday used two major public engagements in Kolkata to outline a broader vision for India’s future, one rooted in inner balance and collective well-being through yoga, and the other in national self-reliance and maritime strength.

Speaking at the 12th International Day of Yoga celebrations on the city’s iconic Red Road and later at the commissioning of three indigenously built naval vessels at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Modi highlighted how personal discipline and national capability together shape a stronger, more confident India.

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While one message centred on harmony, health and peace, the other underscored security, technological advancement and strategic influence.

Addressing thousands gathered on Red Road for the International Day of Yoga, Modi advocated the utility of yoga not only in boosting personal health but also as a catalyst for world peace.

Against the backdrop of multiple global conflicts and geopolitical tensions, he argued that the ancient Indian practice holds relevance far beyond physical wellness.

Quoting the Bhagavad Gita, Modi stressed that a balanced lifestyle involving work, nutrition and sleep is key to overcoming suffering.

“That balance is yoga’s basic crucible, just as it is the crucible of our lives,” he said.

Observing that modern lifestyles often disrupt this balance, he added, “Yoga teaches us the art of living our lives in a balanced manner; it teaches us dos and don’ts. When we learn to operate our bodies in the right manner, health becomes a habit.”

The PM said yoga helps people discover physical fitness through mental well-being and self-awareness.

Connecting individual transformation with global harmony, he remarked, “The consciousness of identifying the dos and don’ts not only brings inner peace, it opens up the path to world peace. That’s why yoga is not only required for our personal lifestyles, it is essential for a better future of this world.”

His remarks reflected India’s longstanding emphasis on dialogue, coexistence and the peaceful resolution of disputes at a time when several regions continue to grapple with wars and diplomatic strains.

Urging people to make yoga a lifelong practice, Modi said, “Let us pledge not to restrict yoga to only one particular day or to an event; rather, make it a part of our lives and that of our families and our future generations.”

He described yoga as a global movement that transcends national and cultural boundaries.

“June 21, which marks the longest day of the year, has now become the largest community celebration day because of yoga. Yoga brings people together. I congratulate the people of the world on this occasion,” he said.

Referring to this year’s theme, ‘Yoga for healthy ageing’, Modi emphasised that yoga benefits people of all age groups.

“Yoga is not just physical exercise. It is not restricted to any age group. It is an expression of the human spirit,” he said.

Highlighting the role of yoga in preserving vitality through the years, Modi said, “When we speak of yoga for healthy ageing, we can work to ensure that age does not reduce human potential.”

Invoking the ideas of Rabindranath Tagore and Sri Aurobindo, Modi said human fulfilment lies in connection with society, the world and oneself.

“The fundamental idea of yoga is that connectivity. Maharishi Aurobindo said yoga is in our life, whether we realise it or not. When yoga becomes part of our living, it becomes the cradle of human unity,” he said.

Dressed in a white T-shirt and white pants, Modi joined thousands of participants in a mass yoga demonstration on Red Road.

He performed yoga alongside citizens of all ages, walked among participants during the 40-minute session, observed the protocols closely and even helped some participants correct their postures.

Governor R N Ravi, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and several ministers of the West Bengal government were among the thousands who also took part in the event.

Later, at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Modi shifted focus from human potential to national capability, asserting that strong maritime power is essential for economic and strategic influence.

“Strong maritime capabilities are the deciding factor for a country’s economic and strategic influence,” he said, adding that India understands this reality and is preparing accordingly.

Modi commissioned three indigenously built naval vessels — the stealth frigate Dunagiri, survey vessel Sanshodhak and anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft Agray.

Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd, the vessels contain more than 75 per cent indigenous content and involved the participation of more than 200 MSMEs.

Emphasising self-reliance in defence, Modi declared, “The recognition of our capabilities lies in our self-reliance and not in becoming a market for the world.”

He added that India does not want to remain merely a buyer in the global defence sector.

The PM noted that India had already demonstrated its growing maritime strength through the commissioning of aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

More than 40 warships and submarines have been inducted in recent years, while 45 large naval platforms are currently under construction, he said.

“No nation can become a big power without maritime prowess. Development, security and prosperity are tied to the seas,” he said.

The events drew the prime minister’s two-day visit to West Bengal to a close. It began on Saturday with his attending the state-level ‘Paschimbanga Divas’ celebrations in Tarakeswar in Hooghly district, where he declared that the state had “broken free of its shackles” and had embarked on a new journey of development under the BJP government.

He invoked the state’s Partition-era history to assert that June 20 was a defining moment that ensured the state remained within India.