New Delhi, October 17 (IANS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at the ‘NDTV World Summit 2025’ in New Delhi on Friday. In his speech, Prime Minister Modi emphasized India’s unwavering momentum and its role as a ray of hope in the rapidly developing world.
While wishing the countrymen a happy Diwali, he said that the NDTV World Summit is being organized in a festive atmosphere. He appreciated the theme of the session “Ajeya Bharat” and said that it was absolutely appropriate as India today is in no mood to stop. India will neither stop nor stop, 140 crore Indians are moving forward together.
Prime Minister Modi said that in a world facing various obstacles and roadblocks, the discussion on Invincible India is both natural and timely. He tried to put this topic in the context of eleven years ago and the present situation.
Recalling the period before 2014, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the nature of discussions taking place in such summits at that time. Like how will India face global challenges, how will it get out of the critical five grouping, how long will the country remain trapped in policy inaction and when will the era of large-scale scams end.
She said that before 2014, concerns about women’s safety were widespread and revelations about the uncontrolled proliferation of terrorist sleeper cells dominated the discussion. Songs lamenting inflation, such as ‘Mahangai dayan khaaye rahi hai’ were commonly heard.
The Prime Minister said that in the last 11 years, India broke every doubt and won every challenge. India emerged from the ‘weak five countries’ and joined the top five economies of the world. Inflation is less than 2 percent, and growth rate is more than 7 percent.
The Prime Minister said that from chips to ships, the confidence of ‘self-reliant India’ is visible in every field. Now India does not remain silent on terrorist attacks, but responds with surgical strikes, air strikes and operations like ‘Sindoor’.
The Prime Minister asked to remember the time of Covid-19, when the world was in a life-or-death crisis. People were wondering how India with such a large population will survive this crisis. India proved all the apprehensions wrong. India quickly rolled out its vaccine, administered vaccinations in record time and emerged as the fastest-growing major economy.
He said that even before the effect of Covid ended, news of war started coming in many places in the world. Again questions were raised on India’s progress. India once again proved all apprehensions wrong and remained the fastest growing economy with an average growth rate of 7.8 percent. According to data released two days ago, India’s merchandise exports have increased by about 7 percent compared to last year.
The Prime Minister said that recently Google announced a big investment of $ 15 billion in India’s AI sector. Apart from this, large investments are also taking place in green energy and semiconductor sectors. India’s progress today is creating new opportunities for the world. He cited the example of the recent EFTA trade agreement, in which European countries have promised to invest $100 billion in India. This will create jobs on a large scale.
PM Modi referred to the recent visit of his close friend, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who came with the largest ever trade delegation. This shows how big an opportunity the world sees in India. He said that India’s trade with G-7 countries has increased by more than 60 percent.
PM Modi said in his address, “The world now considers India a trustworthy, responsible and strong partner. There is a flood of investments in sectors like electronics, pharmaceuticals, automobile and mobile manufacturing, making India the hub of the global supply chain.”
He said that the theme of the summit ‘Edge of the Unknown’ may be uncertainty for the world, but for India it is a door of opportunities. For centuries, India has shown the courage to walk on unknown paths. Be it technology, vaccine development during the pandemic, skilled manpower, fintech or green energy, India has transformed every risk into recovery, recovery into strength and strength into revolution.
The PM referred to the recent remarks of the IMF chief, who praised the courage of India’s reforms.
The Prime Minister criticized the opposition party which has ruled for 60 years and said that it is continuously promoting bureaucratization of policies and procedures. On the contrary, he emphasized that his government over the last eleven years has focused on democratization of both policies and processes, which is an important factor in the rise of an invincible India.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized that India now has a government that is dedicated to serving the poor and the underprivileged, giving priority to backward communities and working with utmost sensitivity to improve their lives. He said that such efforts are often not taken into account in major discussions.
As an example, he cited BSNL’s recently launched made-in-India 4G stack and described it as an important national achievement. He proudly said that India is now among the top five countries in the world with indigenously developed 4G stack. BSNL, once a public sector company neglected by the opposition, is now achieving new heights.
He further said that with the launch of the 4G stack, BSNL activated approximately one lakh 4G mobile towers on the same day. As a result, millions of people living in remote forests and hilly areas, who were previously untouched by high-speed internet, are now receiving fast internet services.
He highlighted that before 2014, 1 GB data cost Rs 300, whereas now it costs only Rs 10, thereby saving thousands of rupees annually to every Indian. Through the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Prime Minister informed that poor patients have saved Rs 1.25 lakh crore. Medicines are available at 80 percent discount at Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras, resulting in a saving of approximately Rs 40,000 crore. Additionally, lower stent prices have resulted in annual savings of Rs 12,000 crore to poor and middle class families.
The Prime Minister highlighted significant cuts in both income tax and GST and said income up to Rs 12 lakh has been made tax-free this year.
–IANS
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