PM Modi announces AI skilling for 10M youth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a major artificial intelligence skilling initiative to train 10 million youth in one year, alongside free online coaching for competitive examinations and a nationwide sports talent hunt, during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15, 2026. The announcements formed a central pillar of a speech heavily focused on empowering India's young population.

"We will work to provide AI skill training to one crore youth, so that India's youth can lead in the AI era," the Prime Minister said, framing the move as preparation for an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. He positioned the free coaching network as a measure to ease the financial burden on families, noting that coaching fees for government job and professional course exams create a significant economic barrier.

The sports programme, a nationwide talent identification initiative for children aged five to 15, aims to identify and train future athletes across villages and schools. This effort is directly linked to India's goal of participating in at least three-quarters of events at the 2036 Olympics, the Prime Minister stated. The government...