From Emerging to Influential: India's Rise Under Modi

By Sanjay Mehta, Deputy Director General, IMC

Even the most ardent critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government will, albeit grudgingly, acknowledge that the last eleven years have witnessed impressive progress across multiple domains. From a country that was once merely pointed out on the map or referenced in discussions as the “second-most populous after China,” India today commands respect as a nation with real clout and a strong, independent voice in the global comity of nations.

This was the purpose Narendra Modi worked towards from the very day he took oath as the 14th Prime Minister of India, on May 26, 2014. Assertive and strategic diplomacy has been one of the defining hallmarks of the Modi government. India today is not merely a participant in global forums—it is helping shape them.

Those who have had the privilege of knowing and closely interacting with Prime Minister Modi truly understand the depth of his vision—how far into the future he plans, how high he sets his goals, and how tirelessly he works while inspiring and pushing others to achieve those goals. Members of the IMC delegation who met him in January 2012 sensed this first-hand, gaining insight into his forward-looking thinking and his CEO-style approach to governance. His pioneering initiatives in Gujarat—such as the Bus Rapid Transport System, uninterrupted power supply, the transformation of the Sabarmati Riverfront, efficient irrigation systems, and the creation of a global brand for Gujarat—set new benchmarks and made Gujarat a model of development for other states to follow. Similarly, as Prime Minister, elevating India’s global profile was a clear priority for him from the outset, because as an astute leader, he understood that India’s rise on the world stage would be essential for realizing its broader national aspirations—including the ambitious vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The achievements of the Modi government over the past eleven years are there for all to see. It has undertaken several far-reaching reforms—social and economic—many of them truly transformative.

Over the past eleven years, India has witnessed a sharp decline in multidimensional poverty, with over 250 million people lifted out of poverty through targeted schemes and improved last-mile delivery. Welfare delivery was revolutionized by the Direct Benefit Transfer system powered by the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity, while flagship programs like Ujjwala Yojana empowered women by providing over 90 million free LPG connections. The Swachh Bharat Mission transformed sanitation, taking rural toilet coverage from about 40% in 2014 to near-universal coverage, and Ayushman Bharat has become the world’s largest government-funded health insurance scheme, covering over 500 million people. Under the Housing for All initiative, millions of affordable homes were built, while the ambitious Goods and Services Tax (GST) unified India’s market and simplified taxation.

Landmark reforms like the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code improved ease of doing business and strengthened creditor rights, while Make in India and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes spurred domestic manufacturing and FDI, with particular gains in sectors like electronics, defence, and automobiles. Startup India and Standup India energized India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and the Digital India initiative expanded broadband connectivity and mainstreamed digital payments. Infrastructure development surged with record highway construction, airport and rail modernization, and programs like Bharatmala, Sagarmala and UDAN enhancing connectivity. Nearly universal household electrification was achieved under the Saubhagya scheme, and financial inclusion deepened with over 500 million Jan Dhan bank accounts. Labour law reform streamlined 29 laws into 4 simplified codes, and targeted social empowerment schemes advanced women’s welfare, skill development, and strengthened protections for SC/ST communities—together creating a more inclusive and resilient economy. Tap water in every household and roof top solar are initiatives aimed at providing every household access to potable water and providing free electricity to 1 crore households by installing solar panels on their roofs and offering subsidies.

While these achievements and initiatives have been summarized in just two paragraphs, the dedication, resolve, and leadership that made them possible cannot be captured in words. While we must admit India did make steady progress over the past seven decades, including its historic achievement of nuclear status, but the last eleven years have been marked by an accelerated, determined effort to build a stronger, more self-reliant India—an India with the confidence to shape its own destiny and take its rightful place on the global stage, and in space.

Yet, for all this progress, two critical frontiers remain: Raising Education Standards and India’s defence preparedness.

It is critical that India now places even greater focus on strengthening its education system. To truly harness the potential of its young and aspirational population, standards of education must improve across all levels—from primary schooling to higher education and skills training—so that India’s demographic dividend becomes its greatest strength in the decades to come.

Further, as India aspires to play a larger global role, it must complement its economic rise with robust national security capabilities. Defence indigenization is no longer an option; it is a strategic necessity. India must build a self-reliant defence ecosystem capable of equipping and sustaining its military in a complex and volatile geopolitical environment.

Particularly urgent is the need to strengthen the Indian Air Force and Navy—the two arms critical for safeguarding India’s strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. In this context, the induction of the advanced version of the indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft should be treated as an absolute national priority. The Tejas program, while a symbol of India’s engineering and technological ambition, has faced significant delays, and these must now be overcome decisively. A strong, capable air force equipped with modern indigenous platforms is essential not just for deterrence, but for upholding India’s sovereignty and global standing.

Similarly, India’s Navy—tasked with safeguarding one of the world’s most vital maritime regions—requires rapid modernization and enhanced indigenous capability to meet emerging threats and secure sea lanes.

As India completed eleven years of this journey under Prime Minister Modi, it is clear that the foundations of a New India have been laid. The next phase must involve completing this transformation—ensuring that India’s rise is not only defined by economic growth and social development, but by strategic resilience, technological self-reliance, military strength, and a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation and productivity. An economically strong India is no doubt important, but it is a strong and secure India, with both economic muscle, military capability, and a future-ready human capital base, that can truly claim its place as a leading global power.

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