Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted that India is becoming the key growth engine of the global economy, adding that in an atmosphere of geopolitical uncertainty, the country is emerging in a league of its own and moving ahead with deep self-confidence.
“In a world of slowdown, mistrust and fragmentation, India brings growth, trust and acts as a bridge-builder,” PM Modi said while addressing a media summit here.
He further said that every sector today is shedding the old colonial mindset and aiming for new achievements with pride.
“You know very well that no nation can move forward without self-confidence. Unfortunately, long years of colonial rule shook this very confidence in India. The reason for this was a deep colonial mindset. This colonial mentality has become a major barrier in achieving the goals of a developed Bharat. That is why today’s Bharat is working to free itself from this mindset,” the Prime Minister said.
“I am requesting the people of our nation to look at the coming ten years as a clear time frame. I cannot achieve this without your support. The policy of Macaulay that sowed the seeds of mental slavery in Bharat (India) will complete two hundred years in 2035,” the Prime Minister said.
“This is why, within these ten years, we must free ourselves from every trace of that colonial mindset,” PM Modi said.
He said the transformation taking place in India is not merely about possibilities. It is the real story of changing lives, evolving mindsets and a nation moving in a new direction, he said.
PM Modi also mentioned India’s Q2 GDP growth of 8.2 per cent and said India is emerging as a pillar of trust.
“When the world speaks of slowdown, India continues to write a story of growth. When the world faces a crisis of trust, India is emerging as a pillar of trust. When the world moves towards fragmentation, India is becoming a bridge builder,” PM Modi said.
“The second quarter GDP figures for India show growth of more than eight percent, reflecting a new momentum in our progress. These are not just numbers. They are strong macroeconomic signals. They convey that India is rising as a key growth driver of the global economy today,” he said.
“Today we stand at a moment when one fourth of the twenty-first century has already passed. In these twenty-five years, the world has witnessed many ups and downs. It has seen financial crises. It has faced a global pandemic. Each of these situations has challenged the global community in some form. Amid an atmosphere of uncertainty, our nation is emerging in a league of its own. India is moving ahead with deep self-confidence,” he said.
Reforms carried out in India earlier were “reactionary”, but they are guided by national goals in current times, the Prime Minister said.
“At one time, reforms in India were reactionary. This means that either political interests were linked to major decisions, or they were announced to manage a crisis. However, reforms are carried out with national goals in mind. We have set targets. Each sector across the country is seeing improvement. Our growth is constant. Our intent is nation first,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister further said that the transformation of the nation becomes certain when its people contribute to development without barriers.
He said India was moving forward by tapping its “vast and previously unrealised potential”.
“A large part of India’s potential remained untapped for a very long time. When this untapped potential receives greater opportunities, and when people contribute to national development with full energy and without barriers, the nation’s transformation becomes certain. Our Northeast, our villages, our tier two and tier three cities all hold immense potential that could not be utilised in earlier decades. India is now moving forward by tapping this vast and previously unrealised potential,” PM Modi said.
“Earlier, India’s space sector was under government control only. But we have reformed the space sector. We opened it for the private sector, and the country is seeing the results today,” he said.