PM Modi to address nation at 5 pm today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 5 pm today, officials told India Today on Sunday. There is no official word yet on the subject of his address. 

The address comes on the eve of Navratri and coincides with the implementation of a new set of Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, which will see prices of a large number of products come down.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that with the slew of GST reforms set to come into effect from September 22, a total of Rs 2 lakh crore will be in the hands of the people, boosting domestic consumption. She added that with the simplification of the GST from four slabs to two, Prime Minister Modi is keen to ensure that the poor, downtrodden, middle-class families, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) largely benefit from the changes.

The Prime Minister's address also comes amid critical trade negotiations between India and the United States. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will lead an official delegation to the US for talks on September 22, aimed at advancing discussions for an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement. The delegation will visit New York and will be accompanied by Special Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and other officials.

During the last visit of officials from the office of the United States Trade Representative to India on September 16, positive discussions were held on various aspects of the trade deal, and it was decided to intensify efforts in this regard. "In continuation of these discussions, a delegation led by Commerce and Industries Minister is visiting the United States for meetings with the US side on 22nd September 2025," the ministry said.

The visit assumes additional significance in the backdrop of the US administration's sudden hike in the H-1B visa application fee to USD 100,000. The visit also follows recently concluded daylong discussions in India between US Chief Negotiator Brendan Lynch and his Indian counterpart Rajesh Agrawal. 

On September 16, the commerce ministry stated that the daylong discussions with the visiting US team on the proposed bilateral trade agreement were positive, and both sides agreed to push for an early and mutually beneficial conclusion of the agreement. "It was decided to intensify efforts to achieve early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement," the ministry had said after a seven-hour meeting with US officials.