India, Sept. 21 -- "Whatever we can make in our country, we must," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to the nation on Sunday, September 21, doubling down on the "swadeshi" and "made in India" pitch amid tensions over trade and talent with the US.

He focused on higher savings due to income tax and GST reforms, and local production and consumption - tying it all into 'aatmanirbharta' or self-reliance - though not speaking directly about the massive US trade tariffs and the recent move by President Donald Trump to existentially hurt the H-1B visa regime that's used by high-skilled Indians to work in the US.

In a 19-minute speech focusing at first on taxes and savings, he spoke about the recent rate rationalisation in the Goo...