Wearing a flowing, multi-colored turban, Modi addressed the country from New Delhi’s 17th century Mughal-era Red Fort, saying his government had lifted over 130 million people out of poverty and that India’s growing prosperity was an opportunity for the world.

“When poverty decreases in a country, the power of the middle class increases considerably,” he said. “In the next five years, I promise India will be among the top three economies in the world.”

His statement comes after reports last year from S&P Global and Morgan Stanley forecast that India’s economy would overtake Japan and Germany’s to become the world’s third largest by 2030. They said India’s economic boom will be driven by offshoring, investment in manufacturing, growing digital infrastructure and energy transition.

India’s $3.5 trillion economy surpassed the United Kingdom’s last year to become the fifth largest. Modi said he was confident that when India marks 100 years of independence in 2047, it will do so as a developed nation.

The government forecasts India to grow by 6-6.5% this fiscal year, putting it among the world’s fastest-growing large economies.

“We are lucky to have demography, democracy and diversity,” he said, after noting that India was now the most populous country in the world according to some estimates. The Indian government is yet to release official population data, and its last census is from 2011.

Modi highlighted India’s rise on the global stage and said a new world order was emerging after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“India is becoming the voice of the global South. We are bringing the promise of stability to the world,” he said, adding that all eyes would be on India as it hosts the G-20 Summit in New Delhi next month.

The prime minister also reiterated calls for peace in the northeastern state of Manipur, where a near civil war has raged for months and killed over 150 people. He said the country stands with the people of Manipur and that resolution can only be achieved through peace.

Since clashes between two dominant ethnic groups erupted in early May, residents in Manipur have protested against the state government, ruled by Modi’s party, and called for the firing of its chief minister.

Over 50,000 people have fled the state, where violence has persisted despite a heavy army presence. Armed mobs have torched buildings, massacred civilians and looted weapons from state armories.

But for three months, the strongman leader was largely silent on the conflict in Manipur. His role, or lack thereof, sparked a no-confidence motion against his government in Parliament. Modi defeated the motion last week, after appealing for peace in Manipur for the first time since the conflict began.

India celebrates its Independence Day a day after its neighbor Pakistan. The two separate states came into existence as a result of the bloody partition of British India in 1947.

The process sparked some of the worst communal violence the world has seen and left hundreds of thousands dead. It triggered one of the largest human migrations in history and some 12 million people fled their homes.

According to Indian Express, a grand public event was held in Senapati district of Manipur at Katomei public ground under the auspices of United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of the Nagas under the theme “One Goal, One Destiny”.

The event at a large scale took place in the wake of the prevailing disturbance in Kashmir after Article 370 has been scrapped by the Indian Government.

Special guest of the event was Neingulo Krome, secretary-general of Naga people’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), who hosted the Naga National Flag and sang Naga National Anthem, later leaders of Naga civil bodies made speeches referring to the possible identity crisis.

Leaders of all 20 Naga tribes of Manipur, all Naga Frontal Organisations, Naga women groups, Naga student bodies attended the celebrations.

Neingulo Krome has attributed the large public participation due to the prevailing situation in Kashmir, which according to him has triggered a sense of wariness of the government’s policy, Indian Express reported.

“The celebration this time is historic. There has never been a public event of such a large scale in the past except in small pockets. People coming out in large numbers in support of the Naga movement and to celebrate the historic day is a clear message that people are fed up of the unpredictable policies of the government”, Krome said.

The history goes back to August 14 1947 when some Naga rebel groups declared their national Independence day and since then all the Naga diaspora across the region including Myanmar have been celebrating it as their Independence day.