Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged young Indians to visit the country’s border villages to understand the true spirit of India instead of depending solely on virtual platforms. Addressing participants of the Viksit Vibrant Village (VVV) Programme 2026 through video conferencing on July 26, Modi said firsthand experiences in frontier regions help young people connect with the nation in a way that digital platforms cannot. He described India’s border villages as the nation’s “first villages” and said they play a vital role in the vision of Viksit Bharat.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the VVV Programme was designed to provide youth with an opportunity to live among border communities, understand their aspirations, and witness the rapid development taking place in these strategically important regions. He noted that the villages are not only symbols of patriotism but also centres of resilience and progress. Modi encouraged participants to become ambassadors of these villages by sharing their experiences, promoting local tourism, culture, and indigenous products, and inspiring more young people to visit the country’s frontier areas.
Implemented through MY Bharat under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026 was conducted in two phases from June 4 to June 30. The initiative connected youth with 74 vibrant border villages across Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. More than 400 participants, representing every State and Union Territory, were selected through a nationwide online quiz competition that attracted over three lakh applicants. During the programme, participants stayed with local families and took part in activities such as Swachhta drives, Yuva Sammelans, cultural exchanges, tree plantation, awareness campaigns on government schemes, Mini Model Panchayat simulations, interactions with artisans, and visits to institutions of strategic importance.
The interaction reflected the government’s broader objective of strengthening national integration by giving young citizens firsthand exposure to life in India’s frontier regions. Participants shared how improved roads, mobile connectivity, healthcare facilities, and digital services had transformed many border villages, challenging common misconceptions about these remote areas. Understanding India’s diversity and development requires real-world engagement rather than relying only on virtual experiences.
