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Chapter 70 - Chapter 66 — “India’s tech sovereignty”

Jun 16–Jun 30, 2017

The Speech That Shook the Halls"

Scene 1 — The Build-Up

New Delhi's monsoon season had painted the skies in slate grey. The Parliament House glistened under sheets of rain, water trickling off the sandstone walls like veins of history.

The air was heavy with expectation. Rumors had been swirling for weeks: the government had invited Vikram Malhotra, the mysterious CEO of Shakti Semiconductors and Saraswati Corp, to address the house directly.

No one knew much about him. He had appeared almost out of nowhere, yet his companies had already redrawn the global map of power. Some thought he was just a frontman for industrial lobbies, others whispered of deep-state connections. The truth — that he was an ageless humanoid machine built by MC — was hidden from all.

Inside, MPs shuffled papers nervously. Journalists filled the press gallery. Live feeds were ready. This wasn't just a corporate address. This was history in the making.

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Scene 2 — Entrance of Vikram Malhotra

The chamber doors opened.

Vikram Malhotra entered.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit, a muted blue tie, and carried himself with a composure that instantly silenced the hall. His gait was steady, his eyes clear and deliberate. He looked too perfect—a detail lost on the crowd but crafted by MC.

As he climbed the steps to the podium, the Speaker announced:

> Speaker: "The House will now hear a statement from Shri Vikram Malhotra, Chief Executive Officer of Shakti Semiconductors and Saraswati Corporation."

Cameras zoomed in. International networks switched to live broadcast.

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Scene 3 — The Speech

Vikram rested his palms on the lectern, scanned the chamber with calm authority, and began:

> Vikram:

"Honorable Members of Parliament, I thank you for allowing me to speak.

Today, India does not stand behind anyone. Today, the world stands at our gates — to ask, to plead, and sometimes to threaten. Why? Because for the first time in modern history, India holds the key to the world's most advanced technology: the Shakti processor."

Gasps. Murmurs.

He continued, his tone both sharp and inspiring:

> Vikram:

"For too long, our nation has been told to depend. Depend on foreign chips, foreign software, foreign companies. Dependence is weakness. Dependence is slavery of another name.

But with Shakti and Saraswati, we have cut the chain. And let it be known: we will not replace one master with another. Shakti will remain wholly Indian. Saraswati will remain wholly Indian. No foreign stakes, no foreign vetoes, no compromise."

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Scene 4 — POV: Opposition MP

Rajiv Deshmukh, a veteran MP from Maharashtra, leaned forward. He had prepared a dozen questions — about corruption, about funding sources, about foreign lobbies. But as Vikram spoke, something in his chest shifted.

He's speaking like a revolutionary, Rajiv thought. This isn't corporate jargon. This is the language of freedom.

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Scene 5 — Vikram Raises the Stakes

Vikram paused for effect, letting the murmurs swell before striking again:

> Vikram:

"You will hear accusations from abroad. They will say our chips are stolen, our AI dangerous, our networks insecure. They will sanction us. They will threaten us. They will try to buy us.

To them, I say this: India is not for sale. Not its rivers, not its skies, not its code."

The desks thundered as ruling party MPs pounded in applause. Opposition MPs hesitated, then slowly joined in, some grudgingly, some genuinely moved.

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Scene 6 — POV: Tea Shop in Patna

In a crowded tea shop, rain dripping from the awning, the speech played on an old TV.

> Shopkeeper: "Listen to him! He speaks better than most ministers!"

Young Student: "This is the first time I've felt… proud that our tech beats America's. Not cricket, not Bollywood — real tech!"

A round of claps broke out in the tiny room. Even skeptics nodded in silence.

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Scene 7 — POV: US Embassy, Delhi

In the US Embassy's secure room, diplomats and attachés watched with stiff jaws.

> Attaché: "He's closing the doors on every American investor. This is… catastrophic."

Senior Officer: "Not just investors. Influence. Whoever Malhotra is, he's rallying Parliament like a nationalist leader. Washington won't like this."

One of them scribbled: "National Security Threat – escalate to DC."

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Scene 8 — Global Reactions

London: A Financial Times editor shouted across the newsroom:

> "Get this on the front page: 'India Declares Tech Sovereignty.'"

Beijing: A PLA tech commander frowned at the transcript.

> "He's not bluffing. If India cuts us off from Shakti chips, our next-gen AI stalls. Report to the Central Military Commission immediately."

Silicon Valley: At Google HQ, executives muttered curses.

> "Privacy risks? Forget that. If he shuts out foreign cloud providers, we're looking at a black hole market of 1.3 billion people."

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Scene 9 — The Climax

Vikram straightened, his voice resonant, carrying through every microphone:

> Vikram:

"This decade will not belong to America or China. This decade belongs to India — if we have the courage to claim it.

And I give you my word: as long as I stand, no one will chain this nation's future again."

The chamber erupted. MPs rose to their feet. Desk-thumping roared like a drumbeat. Journalists scribbled furiously.

It was no longer a corporate address. It was a declaration of sovereignty.

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Scene 10 — Backstage

After the speech, Vikram strode calmly into the corridors, flashes of cameras chasing him. Reporters swarmed, microphones thrust forward. He delivered carefully measured lines:

> Vikram: "We seek cooperation, not conflict. But let me be clear — sovereignty is non-negotiable."

Then he stepped into a waiting black car.

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Scene 11 — Estate, Remote Feed

Hundreds of kilometers away, at his estate, MC leaned back in his chair, watching everything unfold through Vikram's cameras. Aarya's hologram shimmered beside him.

> Aarya: "You gave them what they wanted — a leader to rally behind. They will follow him."

MC (quietly): "Good. They must never suspect who's really pulling the strings. Let Vikram be the shield. I'll be the architect."

The rain outside the estate windows mirrored Delhi's downpour, as if the storm itself marked a turning point in history.

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Scene 12 — Epilogue Snippets

In a Ladakh village, elders prayed in a temple, whispering that a new protector had risen for Bharat.

In Washington, a senator slammed his desk: "India's gone rogue. We need a containment strategy."

In Mumbai, a young engineer submitted her resume to Saraswati: "If this is the future, I want to build it."

The ripples of Vikram's speech spread across continents. A new chapter of the global order had been written, not by a politician or general, but by the shadow of a man who didn't even exist.

And somewhere in the shadows, the true mind smiled.

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