NEW DELHI, India | September 27, 2026 —
Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the 138th episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday to revisit India’s counterterrorism response over the past decade, citing the 2016 surgical strikes, the Balakot air strike and Operation Sindoor, while also urging citizens to participate actively in the ongoing national census.
Prime Minister Modi described the census as a collective national responsibility and encouraged people to use the digital self-enumeration facility wherever available.
The monthly radio address also touched on the 25 years since the September 11 terror attacks in the United States, the birth centenary of former VHP leader Ashok Singhal, the history of Gujarat’s Modhera Sun Temple, nutrition campaigns and the growing economic role of local products such as Amla and Moringa.
THE 60-SECOND BRIEF
Episode: Mann Ki Baat 138
Date: September 27, 2026
National security: Prime Minister Modi recalled the 2016 surgical strikes and also referred to Balakot and Operation Sindoor.
Census: He called public participation in the census a collective national duty.
9/11: The Prime Minister referred to the global impact of terrorism while remembering the victims of the September 11 attacks.
Ashok Singhal: He paid tribute on Singhal’s birth centenary.
Modhera: The Prime Minister linked the history of the Sun Temple with the village’s modern solar-energy identity.
Nutrition and livelihoods: Amla, Moringa, self-help groups and local products also featured prominently.
PM Modi Recalls 10 Years of the Surgical Strikes
Prime Minister Modi said the country is approaching 10 years since the Indian Army carried out the September 2016 surgical strikes.
He presented the operation as a milestone in India’s counterterrorism policy and said it demonstrated what he described as the country’s firm resolve against terrorism.
The Prime Minister also linked that security approach with the Balakot air strike and Operation Sindoor, placing all three within the government’s stated policy of responding to terror threats.
Balakot and Operation Sindoor Also Mentioned
During the address, Prime Minister Modi referred to India’s military responses following major terror incidents.
He cited Balakot and Operation Sindoor alongside the 2016 surgical strikes as examples of the government’s counterterrorism approach.
The references reflected the government’s stated position that India will respond to attacks according to the circumstances and objectives of each operation.
Terrorism and the Memory of 9/11
Prime Minister Modi also referred to the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States while discussing the global consequences of terrorism.
The reference placed India’s own security experience within a broader international context.
The September 11 attacks reshaped security policies worldwide, and Prime Minister Modi used the anniversary period to reiterate India’s stated zero-tolerance approach toward terrorism.
Census Is a National Responsibility, PM Modi Says
Another major theme of the 138th episode was the ongoing census exercise.
Prime Minister Modi called participation a collective national duty and urged citizens to cooperate fully with the process.
He said digital technology has made participation easier, including through self-enumeration using mobile phones.
Digital Self-Enumeration Gets a Push
Prime Minister Modi highlighted the digital self-registration facility available for the census.
According to the details shared during the program, citizens can enter household information online using a mobile number and complete the process without uploading documents.
Once the information is submitted, a unique ID is generated for verification.
He said more than 2.6 crore people had already used mobile phones to complete self-enumeration and encouraged more citizens to participate.
Census Reaches Remote Himalayan Areas
The Prime Minister also highlighted census work in remote and difficult terrain.
He referred to progress in areas of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand.
In Uttarakhand, he cited examples from Mana village and Bhagori village to show how citizens in remote areas are participating in the digital census process.
PM Modi Pays Tribute to Ashok Singhal
Prime Minister Modi also paid tribute to former Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal on his 100th birth anniversary.
He recalled Singhal’s role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and said he had personally had the opportunity to work alongside him.
Prime Minister Modi also referred to Singhal’s work against social discrimination and inequality.
Modhera Sun Temple and 1,000 Years of History
The Prime Minister devoted part of the address to Gujarat’s historic Modhera Sun Temple.
He connected the temple’s history with what he described as India’s civilizational resilience.
Prime Minister Modi said the temple faced attacks over the centuries but continued to symbolize cultural continuity and reconstruction.
From Sun Temple to Solar Village
Prime Minister Modi then linked Modhera’s ancient association with the Sun to its modern transformation through renewable energy.
He highlighted Modhera’s status as India’s first solar-powered village and described the transition as a contemporary expression of the same connection with solar energy.
The comparison allowed the Prime Minister to connect heritage, technology and clean energy in the same narrative.
Amla and Moringa Find Place in Mann Ki Baat
Nutrition and rural livelihoods were another important part of the episode.
Prime Minister Modi highlighted Amla as an example of how local agricultural products can generate new income opportunities.
He cited processing units and women’s self-help groups in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, producing Amla-based products such as candy, murabba, juice and pickles.
Vocal for Local During the Festive Season
The Prime Minister urged citizens to keep the Vocal for Local spirit alive during the festive season.
He said each region of India has distinctive agricultural products, crafts and skills that can reach wider markets.
The One District One Product initiative was presented as one route for helping local producers expand beyond their traditional markets.
Moringa and the Fight Against Malnutrition
Prime Minister Modi also highlighted nutrition campaigns involving Moringa.
He referred to Chhattisgarh’s Har Ghar Munga initiative, which encourages families to include Moringa in their diets.
He also mentioned nutrition-focused activities in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Mizoram, linking locally available foods with the wider effort against malnutrition.
Digital Anganwadi Network Also Highlighted
The Prime Minister said digital systems are strengthening the Anganwadi network.
According to the figures he cited, nearly nine crore beneficiaries are registered across the system, supporting services for children, pregnant people and lactating mothers.
He called for continued efforts to improve nutrition through affordable and locally available foods.
Why This Episode Was Different
The 138th episode brought together several themes that do not usually sit in the same frame.
National security was one major thread.
Citizen participation through the census formed another.
Cultural history, local enterprise, renewable energy and nutrition were also prominent.
The result was an episode that moved from military and security issues to everyday civic responsibility and local development.
What Prime Minister Modi Asked Citizens to Do
The most direct call to action came on the census.
Prime Minister Modi asked citizens to take the process seriously and cooperate with enumerators or use the digital self-enumeration option.
He presented accurate census participation as important for government planning, welfare delivery and long-term policymaking.
INVC NEWS Bottom Line
The 138th episode of Mann Ki Baat combined national security, civic responsibility and cultural identity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the surgical strikes, Balakot and Operation Sindoor while reiterating the government’s stated counterterrorism policy.
He also urged citizens to participate in the census, calling it a collective national responsibility.
Beyond security and governance, the broadcast highlighted Ashok Singhal, Modhera’s heritage and solar transformation, local products, women’s self-help groups and nutrition campaigns.
The central message of the episode was broader than any single topic: national security, citizen participation and local action were all presented as parts of nation-building.
