The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has extended greetings to everyone on the special occasion of Guru Purnima.

In a X post, the Prime Minister said;

“सभी देशवासियों को गुरु पूर्णिमा की ढेरों शुभकामनाएं।

Best wishes to everyone on the special occasion of Guru Purnima.”

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chaired the 27^th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council in Ranchi, Jharkhand today. The meeting was attended by Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren, Odisha Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Shri Samrat Choudhary and Smt. Chandrima Bhattacharya, West Bengal Finance Minister, Chief Secretaries and other senior officials of the member states and senior officials of the Central Government. The Eastern Zonal Council comprises the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. The meeting was organized by the Inter State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Jharkhand.

In his address, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that in Operation Sindoor, our forces have made the whole world experience their valor, precision and bravery and for their courage and valor, the Eastern Zonal Council unanimously passes a thanksgiving resolution for the bravery of the forces. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has displayed strong willpower and presented India’s strong intention to fight against terrorism to the whole world.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Minister said that the land of Jharkhand has contributed a lot in the freedom struggle of the country and many great freedom fighters including Bhagwan Birsa Munda have led the freedom movements of the country from this land. He said that the entire eastern India has been a land of devotion, knowledge, music, scientific research and revolution. He said that Bihar and eastern India have contributed a lot in establishing the basic ideals of education. Shri Shah said that many great personalities including Swami Vivekananda, Birsa Munda Ji, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Babu Jagjivan Ram have led the country in many fields from this land. He said that in a way, the confluence of cultural consciousness, devotional consciousness and revolution has happened on this land.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has presented the vision of TEAM BHARAT to the country on the basis of cooperative federalism. He said that under the vision of TEAM BHARAT, we should all move forward together to achieve the goal of development of India through the development of states and making India a fully developed nation by 2047. Union Home Minister said that to strengthen our federal structure, the Inter-State Council and Zonal Council have been given a base in the Constitution and meetings of zonal councils are held under the same. He said that during 2014 to 2025, the pace of organizing these meetings has increased and they have become more productive.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that the Zonal Councils were conceived with the objective of making them a strong foundation of cooperative federalism. He said that the Zonal Councils have now become an actionable platform from an advisory one and through these we have been successful in resolving issues between the Centre and the States and among the States to a large extent. He said that the Zonal Councils have now become an Engine of Cooperation instead of a Forum of Discussion. Shri Shah said between 2004 and 2014, a total of 25 zonal council meetings were held, while between 2014 and 2025 this number reached 63, more than double. He said that we have moved forward from an average of 2 to 3 meetings per year to holding on average 6 meetings per year. Shri Shah said that a total of 1580 issues were discussed in these meetings out of which 1287, i.e. 83 per cent, issues have been resolved, which is a matter of great satisfaction for all of us. He said, the resolution of 83 per cent of issues in the meetings of zonal councils in the Modi government shows the significance of these meetings.

In today’s meeting, long pending complex issues related to Masanjore Dam, Taiyabpur Barrage and Indrapuri Reservoir were discussed in detail. Along with this, issues related to division of assets and liabilities of many Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) between Bihar and Jharkhand states, which were pending since the time of division of Bihar, were also discussed in detail and decisive steps were taken with mutual consent towards their resolution.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said Eastern states should make more efforts towards early implementation of three new criminal laws. He said that more work also needs to be done in the matter of narcotics in these states, for which district level NCORD meetings should be held regularly. Shri Shah also said that the four states of the eastern region should go beyond the traditional and structural framework in the field of skill training and prepare courses as per the need.

Shri Amit Shah said due to the unity of all the states and the bravery of the security forces, we have achieved unprecedented success against Naxalism, We will make the country free from Naxalism by March 31, 2026.  He said that Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha have become free from Naxalism to a large extent while West Bengal has already been freed from this problem.

The 27^th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council also discussed a wide range of issues of national importance. These include implementation of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) for speedy trial and speedy disposal of rape cases against women and children, brick-and-mortar banking facility within the designated radius of each village, implementation of Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) and various issues of common interest at the regional level including nutrition, education, health, power, urban planning and strengthening of cooperative systems.

Five Zonal Councils were established under Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. Union Home Minister is the Chairman of the five Zonal Councils and the Chief Ministers/Lieutenant Governors/Administrators of the Member States/Union Territories are its members, of whom the Chief Minister of one State from the Member States is the Vice-Chairman by rotation every year. Two Ministers from each Member State are nominated by the Governor as members of the Council. Each Zonal Council has also constituted a Standing Committee at the level of Chief Secretaries. The issues proposed by the States are first placed for discussion before the Standing Committee of the respective Zonal Council. After consideration in the Standing Committee, the remaining issues are placed for consideration in the meeting of the Zonal Council.

Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a review meeting today with ministers and officials of the Andhra Pradesh government regarding the drought-affected districts in the southern parts of the state. Detailed discussions were also held on organic farming and the Palm Oil Mission. The meeting was held at the PGRS Hall, District Collectorate, Puttaparthi, in Sri Sathya Sai district.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, the Union Agriculture Minister said, “Today in Puttaparthi, we had an important meeting with the Agriculture Minister of Andhra Pradesh regarding drought-affected districts. This region faces specific challenges — low rainfall and frequent droughts, which put farming and farmers in distress. Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Chandrababu Naidu, the Andhra Pradesh government has taken several significant steps — from promoting drip irrigation to boosting horticulture.”

Shri Shivraj Singh further said, “The previous government diverted central funds, which was gravely unjust to the farmers. But the current government is actively working towards changing that. With a visionary Chief Minister in place, we thought about devising both short-term and long-term plans to resolve the problems of these Rayalaseema districts, to arrive at a sustainable solution. Today’s discussion concluded with a decision that both the state and central governments will work together to find solutions.”

Among the various measures, first, a team from the central government, including scientists from ICAR and officials from the agriculture department and rural development ministry, will be sent to Andhra Pradesh. The team, which will include experts from agriculture, ICAR, rural development, and land resources departments, including watershed management, will draft a plan for cultivating crops even in drought-prone conditions, the minister said.

Shri Chouhan further said, “We will also work on rainwater harvesting, afforestation, and explore with the Ministry of Jal Shakti how water from the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers can be brought to this region. Under integrated farming, which includes fruit, flowers, vegetables, agroforestry, beekeeping, and animal husbandry, several new initiatives will be taken. Additionally, efforts will be made to develop seed varieties that yield well even in drought conditions.”

In conclusion, the Union Agriculture Minister said, “We have discussed preparing an Integrated Action Plan, on which we will work together with the state government. I am confident that we will be able to help farmers in the drought-affected districts overcome these challenges.”

At the invitation of the Speaker of the National Assembly, H.E. Saara Kuugongelwa, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed today the Parliament of Namibia. This special gesture from the Namibian side made Prime Minister’s State Visit to Namibia even more meaningful.

Addressing the Parliament, Prime Minister conveyed greetings from the “Mother of Democracy” and the largest democracy in the world to the members of the august House and to the friendly people of Namibia. Recalling the historic ties between the two countries and their shared struggle for freedom, Prime Minister paid tribute to the legacy of Dr. Sam Nujoma, the founding father of Namibia. He noted that the democratic values and principles championed by the founding fathers of the two countries continue to illuminate the path of progress in both countries. He lauded the role of the government and people of Namibia in deepening democracy in the country.

Prime Minister thanked the people of Namibia for bestowing on him their highest national honor. He noted that this special gesture was a tribute to the achievements of the Indian and Namibian democracies. As sentinels of freedom, equality and justice, he called upon the two countries to work for the betterment of the Global South, so that the voices of its people are not just heard, but their hopes and aspirations are fully realized. He underlined that India will always work for the progress of Africa, as it had done during its presidency of the G-20 when the African Union was made a permanent member of the group. He stated that India was privileged to share its development experience with Namibia and other countries in the continent. India remains committed to building capacity, developing skills, promoting local innovation and supporting Africa’s Agenda 2063.

Prime Minister thanked the Speaker for the honor extended to him. He called for greater people-to-people interaction between the two countries so that the two democracies ever prosper. “Let our children not only inherit the freedom we fought for, but also the future we will build together.” – he said as he concluded his address.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is paying a State Visit to Namibia. On the occasion, the President of Namibia, H.E. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah conferred on Prime Minister the highest civilian award of Namibia – Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis. He is the first Indian leader to be given this award.

Accepting the award, Prime Minister dedicated the honor to the 1.4 billion people of India and to the historic and enduring ties between India and Namibia. Prime Minister expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Nandi-Ndaitwah and the people of Namibia for the accolade.

The conferment of the award on Prime Minister is a milestone in the bilateral ties between India and Namibia and stands as a font of inspiration for the younger generations in both countries to take this special bilateral partnership to greater heights.

​Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is on a State Visit to Brasilia. He met today with the President of Brazil, H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia. On arrival, he was warmly received by President Lula and accorded a warm and colourful ceremonial welcome.

Prime Minister and President Lula held talks in restricted and delegation level formats and discussed all aspects of the multifaceted Strategic Partnership between India and Brazil. They reaffirmed the shared values that underpin the warm and friendly India-Brazil relations. The leaders discussed cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, defence and security, health and pharmaceuticals, space, renewable energy, agriculture and food processing, energy security, infrastructure development, digital public infrastructure and UPI, traditional medicine, yoga, sporting links, culture and people-to-people ties. They also explored avenues for collaboration in the new areas of cooperation such as critical minerals, new and emerging technologies, AI and supercomputers, digital collaboration and mobility.

Both leaders welcomed the establishment of a Ministerial level mechanism to discuss trade and commercial matters. They discussed strengthening bilateral trade, including expansion of the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement. The leaders set a target to increase bilateral trade to USD 20 billion over the next five years. Taking stock of the ongoing cooperation in the energy sector, the two leaders agreed to explore investment opportunities as there exist immense potential in the hydrocarbon as well as renewable energy sectors in both countries.

Prime Minister thanked Brazil for its solidarity and support extended to India in the aftermath of the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025. This underscores the strong commitment of both countries to countering terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations. Prime Minister emphasised that there should be zero tolerance on terrorism and those promoting such inhuman acts must be dealt with firmly. President Lula agreed that the two countries must work together and with the global community to fight and defeat terrorism.

Both leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and reform of global governance institutions, including the UN Security Council. They also agreed to work together to strengthen global action to deal with climate change. Prime Minister conveyed his wishes to Brazil for the forthcoming COP30 climate change conference. They agreed to continue working closely to advance the interests of the Global South.

Following the talks, six MoUs [details may be seen here] in the fields of counter terrorism, exchange of information in the security domain, agricultural research, renewable energy, Intellectual Property Rights and digital cooperation [India Stack] were finalized. A Joint Statement [Link] was adopted on the occasion of the State Visit.

President Lula hosted a luncheon banquet in honour of Prime Minister. Prime Minister thanked President Lula for the gracious hospitality and invited him to visit India.

​The President of Brazil, H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, today conferred upon Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Brazil’s highest national honour – “The Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross”.

Prime Minister expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the President, the Government, and the people of Brazil for the distinguished honour. Accepting the award, he noted that the honour was a tribute to the 1.4 billion people of India, and to the enduring bonds of friendship between India and Brazil. He further stated that President Lula was the architect of India-Brazil Strategic Partnership, and the award was as much an honour to his untiring efforts to take the bilateral ties to greater heights.

Prime Minister underlined that the accolade would inspire the people of the two countries to further deepen their warm and friendly ties.

Your Excellency, My best friend President Lula,
Delegates from both countries,
Friends from the media

Namaskar
“Boa Tarde”!

I sincerely thank my friend, President Lula, for the warm welcome in Rio and Brasilia. We are truly touched by the beauty of the Amazon and your kindness.

Today, being honoured with the Brazil’s highest national award by the President of Brazil is a moment of great pride and emotion not just for me, but for 140 crore Indians. I sincerely thank the President, the Brazilian government, and the people of Brazil for this honour.

Friends,

My friend President Lula is the Chief Architect of the Strategic Partnership between India and Brazil. He has played a significant role in deepening our relations.

Every meeting with him has inspired me to work harder for the progress and well-being of both our nations. I dedicate this honour to his strong commitment to India and to our enduring friendship.

Friends,

In today’s discussions, we agreed to strengthen cooperation across all sectors. We have set a goal to raise bilateral trade to 20 billion dollars over the next five years.

Football is Brazil’s passion, just as cricket is loved by the people of India. Whether it’s sending the ball past the boundary or into the goal, when both are on the same team, a 20 billion dollar partnership is not difficult to achieve. Together, we will also work on expanding the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)

Friends,

Our cooperation in the energy sector continues to grow steadily. Both our countries place a high priority on the environment and clean energy. The agreement signed today to enhance collaboration in this sector will provide fresh direction and momentum to our green goals. I extend my best wishes to President Lula for the upcoming COP-30 Summit being hosted in Brazil later this year.

Friends,

Our growing cooperation in the field of defence reflects the deep mutual trust between our two countries. We will continue our efforts to connect our defence industries and strengthen this partnership further.

Our collaboration in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Supercomputers is expanding. This reflects our shared vision for inclusive development and human-centric innovation.

Both sides are also working together on the adoption of UPI in Brazil. We would be glad to share India’s successful experience with Brazil in areas such as Digital Public Infrastructure and Space.

Our cooperation in the fields of agriculture and animal husbandry spans several decades. We are now working together in areas such as agricultural research and food processing as well. In the health sector too, we are enhancing our win-win collaboration. We have also emphasized the expansion of Ayurveda and traditional medicine in Brazil.

Friends,

People-to-People ties are a vital pillar of our relationship. Our shared passion for sports in both countries also serves as a strong bond connecting us.

We wish for India–Brazil relations to be as vibrant as Carnival, as passionate as football, and as heart-connecting as Samba — all without the long visa counter queues! With this spirit, we will work together to ease people-to-people exchanges between our two nations, especially for tourists, students, sportspersons, and businessmen.

Friends,

At the global level, India and Brazil have always worked in close coordination. As two major democracies, our cooperation is not only relevant to the Global South, but also to all of humanity. We firmly believe that it is our moral responsibility to bring the concerns and priorities of the Global South to the forefront of the global stage.

Today, as the world goes through a period of tension and uncertainty … my friend has already elaborated on this in detail so I will not repeat it … India–Brazil partnership stands as an important pillar of stability and balance. We are in full agreement that all disputes must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

We share a common approach in the fight against terrorism — zero tolerance and zero double standards. We firmly believe that there is no place for double standards when it comes to terrorism. We strongly oppose both terrorism and those who support it.

Excellency,

Once again, on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you for this highest national honour and for your enduring friendship. I also take this opportunity to invite you to visit India.

Thank you.

“Muito obrigado!”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over the loss of lives due to the collapse of a bridge in Vadodara district, Gujarat. Shri Modi also wished speedy recovery for those injured in the accident.

The Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia from PMNRF of Rs. 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 for those injured.

The Prime Minister’s Office posted on X;

“The loss of lives due to the collapse of a bridge in Vadodara district, Gujarat, is deeply saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon.

An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi”

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated today in the 17th BRICS Summit being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 6-7 July 2025. The leaders held productive discussions on various issues on the BRICS agenda, including reform of global governance, enhancing voice of the global south, peace and security, strengthening multilateralism, development issues and Artificial Intelligence. Prime Minister thanked President of Brazil for his warm hospitality and for the successful organisation of the Summit.

Prime Minister addressed the inaugural session on “Reform of Global Governance and Peace and Security”. Later in the day, Prime Minister also addressed a session on “Strengthening Multilateral, Economic-Financial Affairs and Artificial Intelligence. This session included participation by BRICS Partner and invited countries.

Addressing the session on Global Governance and Peace and Security, Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to enhancing the voice of the Global South. He noted that developing countries required greater support for sustainable development, in terms of access to climate finance and technology. Highlighting that the global organizations of the 20th century lacked the capacity to deal with the challenges of the 21st century, he underscored the need for reforming them. Calling for a multipolar and inclusive world order, Prime Minister stated that global governance institutions such as the UN Security Council, IMF, World Bank, and WTO must undergo urgent reform to reflect contemporary realities. He thanked the leaders for highlighting the urgency of UN Security Council reform and adopting a strong language on the issue in the Summit Declaration.

On Peace and Security, Prime Minister underlined that terrorism was a grave threat facing humanity. In this context, he noted that the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025 was not just an attack on India, but an onslaught on the entire humanity. Calling for strong global action against terrorism, Prime Minister noted that those funding, promoting or providing safe havens to terrorists must be dealt with in the harshest terms. He emphasized that there should be no double standards in dealing with terrorism. He thanked the BRICS leaders for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack in the strongest terms. Calling upon the BRICS countries to strengthen global fight against terrorism, he emphasized that there should be zero tolerance in dealing with the menace.

Further elaborating on the subject, Prime Minister noted that conflicts, from West Asia to Europe, were a matter of deep concern. He further added that India has always called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve such conflicts and was ready to contribute towards such efforts.

Addressing the session on “Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic-Financial Affairs and Artificial Intelligence”, Prime Minister expressed that diversity and multipolarity were valued strengths of the BRICS. He stated that at a time when the world order was under pressure and the global community facing uncertainty and challenges, the relevance of BRICS was evident. He further added that BRICS could play an important role in shaping a multipolar world. In this regard, he offered four suggestions: one, the BRICS New Development Bank must follow demand driven principle and long-term sustainability for granting projects; two, the group consider setting up a Science and Research repository which could benefit the global south countries; three, focus must be given to make the supply chain of critical minerals secured and resilient; and, four, the group should work for responsible AI – while looking into the concerns of AI governance, it should also give equal importance to promoting innovation in the field.

At the conclusion of the Leaders’ Session, the member countries adopted the ‘Rio de Janeiro Declaration’.

Friends,

Global peace and security are not just ideals, rather they are the foundation of our shared interests and future. Progress of humanity is possible only in a peaceful and secure environment. BRICS has a very important role in fulfilling this objective. It is time for us to come together, unite our efforts, and collectively address the challenges we all face. We must move forward together.

Friends,

Terrorism is the most serious challenge facing humanity today. India recently endured a brutal and cowardly terrorist attack. The terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22nd April was a direct assault on the soul, identity, and dignity of India. This attack was not just a blow to India but to the entire humanity. In this hour of grief and sorrow, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the friendly countries who stood with us and expressed support and condolences.

Condemning terrorism must be a matter of principle, and not just of convenience. If our response depends on where or against whom the attack occurred, it shall be a betrayal of humanity itself.

Friends,

There must be no hesitation in imposing sanctions on terrorists. The victims and supporters of terrorism cannot be treated equally. For the sake of personal or political gain, giving silent consent to terrorism or supporting terrorists or terrorism, should never be acceptable under any circumstances. There should be no difference between our words and actions when it comes to terrorism. If we cannot do this, then the question naturally arises whether we are serious about fighting terrorism or not?

Friends,

Today, from West Asia to Europe, the whole world is surrounded by disputes and tensions. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is a cause of grave concern. India firmly believes that no matter how difficult the circumstances, the path of peace is the only option for the good of humanity.

India is the land of Lord Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. We have no place for war and violence. India supports every effort that takes the world away from division and conflict and leads us towards dialogue, cooperation, and coordination; and increases solidarity and trust. In this direction, we are committed to cooperation and partnership with all friendly countries. Thank you.

Friends,

In conclusion, I warmly invite all of you to India next year for the BRICS Summit, which will be held under India’s chairmanship.

Thank you very much.

DISCLAIMER – This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s remarks. Original remarks were delivered in Hindi.