For the past few months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been relentlessly urging citizens to embrace Swadeshi products and self-reliance. The Government under his leadership has been a strong advocate of reducing foreign dependence and embracing self-reliance through initiatives like “Make in India” and “Make for the World”. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this vision evolved into the “Vocal for Local” campaign.
Through his “Mann Ki Baat” address on August 15, and in numerous public interactions, the Prime Minister has reiterated his message: adopting Swadeshi is not merely a slogan but a national responsibility. This period of two to three months is a time of celebration across the country. Festivals like Ganesh Utsav, Vijayadashami, Diwali, Chhath Puja and the many religious festivals associated with them, the beginning of their own New Year in some states, and Eid, celebrated among the Muslim community, all bring with them enthusiasm and excitement in society. Lighting homes, exchanging greetings, distributing sweets, wearing new clothes and exchanging gifts are natural social practices. During this period, October 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, is also celebrated as Khadi Day.
To ensure that this tradition and enthusiasm become the foundation of Swadeshi and self-reliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for “buying only Swadeshi new goods, decorating homes with Swadeshi products, enhancing lives with Swadeshi products”. He also highlighted the importance of using Swadeshi products during Ganeshotsav, including gifts made in India, clothing woven in India, decorations made with Indian-made materials and lighting made with Indian-made materials. Focusing on labourers and the working class, he said, “Someone’s money, our goods, but the fragrance of our production will be of my country’s soil, of my Mother India.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call was not merely emotional; it was rooted in the economic empowerment of economically and socially backward sections of society. This sentiment is more than emotional as it reflects an economic philosophy aimed at uplifting India’s working class. Historically, Indian society functioned as a network of self-reliant communities, each contributing through traditional skills and crafts. As Mahatma Gandhi wrote in Hind Swaraj, this self-sufficiency formed the bedrock of India’s resilience. Such items used on Diwali include lamps, khadi and handloom products, candles, firecrackers, flower garlands, toys, puja items, shoes, ornaments, jewellery, sweets, etc, made by potters, leather workers, women working in cottage and small-scale industries, and made from forest produce by tribal communities. Many essential festival goods like lamps, khadi fabrics, candles, toys, sweets and ornaments are produced by artisans from the most marginalised sections of society — potters, leather workers, handloom weavers, women in small-scale industries and tribal communities. However, as imported goods began flooding the market, many of these workers lost their livelihoods. The poor man’s Diwali dimmed, overshadowed by foreign-made products.
Revival of Indigenous Trade
This year’s festive season has shown a remarkable revival of indigenous trade. According to a Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) survey for Diwali 2025, business activity reached `5.40 lakh crore, up from Rs 4.25 lakh crore in 2024 — a 25 per cent increase over the previous year. Even without counting the cooperative and agricultural sectors, this surge encompasses nearly 90 million small business units across the country. The service sector alone contributed Rs 65,000 crore in business.
Around 72 per cent of traders believe this surge in trade is a result of the reduction in GST, while 87 per cent of buyers consciously chose indigenous products in support of the Swadeshi clarion call made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. An estimated five million people also gained short-term employment opportunities during this period, with small towns and rural areas accounting for 28 per cent of total sales. Initiatives like the Central Government’s Potter Empowerment Programme, along with schemes to promote textile, metalwork, woodcraft and bamboo sectors, have gained strong momentum through MSME incentives, giving a substantial boost to rural entrepreneurship and small-scale industries across the country.
According to the latest market analytics report, India’s festival season consumer spending is projected to reach `12–14 lakh crore.
Following the Prime Minister’s call of “Khadi for Nation, Khadi for Fashion”, Khadi sales have risen by an impressive 447 per cent compared to 2014. The value of Khadi products is expected to touch `1.71 lakh crore in 2025, up from Rs 3,154 crore in 2014. This remarkable growth has generated over one million new jobs in the Khadi sector.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya had placed Antyodaya at the heart of nation-building. Reflecting this principle, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal has infused new enthusiasm across all sections of society, empowering and providing livelihood opportunities to backward communities, Dalits, and women. The proceeds from this festive season will enhance the purchasing power of ordinary citizens, invigorate the market, and further strengthen our economy, thereby enabling India to stand resilient against any adverse global forces.
The writer is the National Joint General Secretary (Organisation), BJP