Modi calls border villages first villages, urges youth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, July 26, 2026, emphasized the strategic importance of India's border villages, declaring them the nation's "first villages" and urging the country's youth to engage directly with these communities to strengthen national development. Modi made the remarks during a virtual interaction with participants of the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026, an initiative that saw over 400 young volunteers from across India live and work in 74 villages across Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

The Prime Minister said the programme's objective was to move youth engagement beyond virtual platforms and foster a direct, on-ground connection with rural India. He described young people as both the driving force and greatest beneficiaries of a developed India, asserting that their firsthand understanding of grassroots challenges would brighten the nation's future. The programme, which ran in two phases from June 4 to June 30, was implemented through the government's MY Bharat platform. Participants were selected via a nationwide online quiz that attracted over 300,000 applicants.

During their stays, volunteers undertook activities including sanitation...