Ahead of Diwali, PM pushes for 'vocal for local'

New Delhi: As India gears up to celebrate Diwali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shared a video promoting the use of local products and asserted that the "vocal for local" movement is gaining momentum across the country.

In the video shared on his X handle, the prime minister called on people to ensure that their priority during festivals is "vocal for local". "Let us together fulfil our dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat," Modi said.

He urged people to try to insist on using the UPI digital payment system to make payments. He also asked them to share selfies with local products or artisans on his NaMo App through a made-in-India smartphone. Modi said he will share some of these pictures on social media to inspire others to be vocal for local, he said. "The vocal for local movement is getting great momentum across the country," he said.