Modi's 135th Mann Ki Baat: Missiles Got a Mention, NEET Student Suicides Didn't

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday used the 135th episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat to highlight a string of milestones achieved by India in June, spanning defence, aviation, yoga, social security, and education, while also championing the revival of ancient intellectual traditions and the fight against superstition.

Defence and Aerospace: 'From Seas to Skies'

Opening on a note of national pride, Modi said the first half of 2026 had been marked by accomplishments directly linked to India's security and self-reliance. He recalled attending a naval event in Kolkata where INS Dunagiri , INS Sanshodhak , and INS Agray were inducted into the Indian Navy's fleet, all three designed and manufactured indigenously. In the aviation sector, he highlighted the maiden flight of the Made-in-India C-295 military transport aircraft, with 40 such planes being built by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in partnership with Airbus at Vadodara , giving fresh momentum to the MSME and aerospace sectors. The IAF is procuring 56 C-295 aircraft at approximately Rs 21,935 crore . Modi also cited the successful test of an indigenous Long-Range Land-Attack Cruise Missile by DRDO , developed jointly with Indian industry partners, saying India was now becoming secure "from the seas to the skies."

Yoga Day and World Championship Glory

Modi noted that International Yoga Day on June 21 saw events at over 2,500 locations worldwide, with crores participating across India. He also celebrated India's dominant performance at the World Yogasana Championship in Ahmedabad , where the country claimed 114 medals, including 102 gold, to top the overall tally.

Citizens Rally Behind West Asia Appeal

Referencing the war-like situation in West Asia, Modi expressed gratitude to citizens for heeding his earlier appeal to avoid buying gold, postpone foreign travel, adopt carpooling, and shift to natural fertilisers. Families had written in saying they were recycling old jewellery for weddings rather than purchasing new gold, while others had cancelled foreign holidays and begun using public transport. "I am happy that we Indians are facing this global crisis together," he said.

Social Security: A Shield for Crores

Drawing on a heartwarming story from Nanded, Maharashtra , where the Pethkar family arranged accident insurance for 3,500 villagers at a wedding, Modi underscored the reach of government schemes. The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana offers Rs 2 lakh accidental cover for just Rs 20 a year, with over 58 crore enrolled and Rs 3,700 crore disbursed to affected families. The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana provides Rs 2 lakh life cover at Rs 436 annually, with 27 crore enrolled and Rs 22,000 crore paid out to around 11 lakh families.

Nalanda, Sanskrit University, and the Fight Against Superstition

Modi praised Nalanda University for reviving the ancient tradition of Shastrarth , disciplined intellectual debate, at its convocation, with nearly half the participants being foreign students. He also flagged the Central Sanskrit University's new B.Tech in AI and Data Science as a bridge between heritage and modernity. He concluded by saluting biologist Purnima Devi Barman of Assam, who used science and community outreach to transform the Hargila stork from a feared omen into a symbol of local pride, a parable, Modi suggested, for how India must move from superstition to enlightenment.

What Went Unspoken

Yet, even as the Prime Minister found time to celebrate medal tallies and insurance premiums, his 135th broadcast made no mention of the protests that have gripped Jantar Mantar for weeks, where students and parents, many of them from the same aspirational families Modi routinely invokes, have been demanding accountability over NEET irregularities and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan . Nor did he address the spate of suicides by medical aspirants whose dreams have been crushed under the weight of a compromised examination system. For a programme that prides itself on speaking directly to the people, the silence on the crisis tearing through India's student community was, perhaps, the loudest message of all.