Challenges like Covid, Ukraine crisis make it important for nation to be self-reliant: PM Modi

PM Modi was virtually addressing an event on the launch of six volumes of 'Shri Dharmajeevan Gatha', a biographical book on the life of Gurudev Shastriji Maharaj of the Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam (SGVP).

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said challenges faced by the world like the Russia-Ukraine war and the coronavirus pandemic make it all the more important for the country to become self-reliant, and urged people to promote products made in India.

Modi was virtually addressing an event on the launch of six volumes of 'Shri Dharmajeevan Gatha', a biographical book on the life of Gurudev Shastriji Maharaj of the Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam (SGVP).

The PM said his 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwaas' slogan was inspired by Shastriji Maharaj's call for 'sarvjan hitay (everybody's welfare)', and the book, authored by the latter's disciple, Madhavpriyadasji Swami, will serve as an inspiration for readers through his life and teachings.

"Looking at the condition of the world today, everybody is facing new challenges. We experienced coronavirus, and now the Ukraine-Russia war. In today's world, it is difficult to estimate when and what will happen, and how it will affect us," the prime minister said.

Modi, while stating that the world had become so small that a country cannot remain unaffected (by events), highlighted the importance of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and asked people associated with SGVP to promote it.