Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the gathering.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the News18 Rising Bharat Summit at the iconic Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, reaffirming his government’s commitment to empowering India’s youth and accelerating the nation’s development trajectory. Thanking Network18 for the platform, the Prime Minister noted the timeliness of the summit’s focus: the aspirations of young Indians, who he said are the driving force behind India’s emergence as a global power.
He reflected on the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, held earlier this year on Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, as a showcase of the dreams and determination of India’s new generation. The roadmap to a developed India by 2047, he emphasized, will be built through continuous engagement and insights from youth-led initiatives.
In the span of a decade, India has risen from the 11th to the fifth largest economy. Despite global headwinds, India has ‘doubled the size of its economy’ with a pace that reflects a ‘Fast and Fearless India.’ PM Modi reaffirmed his confidence that India is on course to becoming the third-largest economy in the world.
100 Days of Governance: Decisions for a Decade
Marking the near completion of the year’s first 100 days, PM Modi highlighted a string of policy milestones designed to benefit young professionals, entrepreneurs, and students. These include:
Zero tax on income up to 12 lakh rupees, aimed at easing the financial burden on young professionals.
Expansion of medical and engineering education with 10,000 new medical seats and 6,500 additional IIT seats.
50,000 new Atal Tinkering Labs to spark grassroots innovation.
Creation of Centers of Excellence in AI and 10,000 PM Research Fellowships to support cutting-edge innovation.
Opening of the nuclear energy sector, following the liberalization of space, to catalyze scientific and industrial progress.
Social security for gig workers, acknowledging the growing informal workforce.
Term loans up to two crore rupees for SC/ST (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) and women entrepreneurs, making inclusivity a policy pillar.
A Snapshot of Strategic Achievements
The PM highlighted key accomplishments in infrastructure, energy, defense, and social welfare achieved in the first quarter of 2025:
India joined an elite group of nations by mastering satellite docking and undocking capabilities.
The testing of a semi-cryogenic engine,and surpassing 100 GW of solar energy capacity.
A record 1,000 million tons of coal production and the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission.
Infrastructure advancements – the opening of the Sonamarg Tunnel—one of the highest in the world—and commissioning of INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vagsheer.
Approval for procurement of ‘Made in India’ light combat helicopters.
The eighth Pay Commission for central government employees and increased fertilizer subsidies for farmers.
Completion of three lakh homes under housing initiatives and distribution of 65 lakh property cards under the Swamitva scheme.
Speed, Scale, and Resolve
Citing infrastructure case studies, the Prime Minister drew attention to how legacy projects—once mired in red tape—have been expedited under his administration:
The Bogibeel Bridge in Assam, pending since 1997, was completed in just four years post-2014.
The Kollam Bypass, first proposed in 1972, was realized within five years. nThe Navi Mumbai Airport, greenlit in 2007, is nearing the commencement of commercial operations after fast- tracking.
Celebrating ten Years of Mudra Yojana
April 8 also marked a decade of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, a financial inclusion initiative credited with democratizing entrepreneurship. The Prime Minister highlighted that: nOver 52 crore loans have been disbursed without collateral. nApproximately 33 lakh crore in lending—more than the GDP of many nations—has reached grassroots entrepreneurs.
11 crore Indians have become first-time business owners.
Redefining ‘Backward’: The Aspirational Districts Model
Transforming the notion of ‘backwardness’ into opportunity, the Prime Minister praised the success of the Aspirational Districts Program, which has now inspired a parallel Aspirational Blocks initiative targeting 500 areas.
These regions, once neglected, have now outperformed national averages across key indicators, driven by data- backed policy implementation and focused administrative support.
Security as a Development Imperative
Stressing that peace and security are essential for sustained growth, PM Modi outlined the transformation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast, and Naxal- affected regions:
Over 8,000 Naxalites have surrendered in the past decade.
Ten major peace agreements signed in the Northeast have seen 10,000 youth lay down arms.
Stone pelting and terror-related incidents in Kashmir have sharply declined, with youth now engaged in mainstream development.
Ending Appeasement, Ensuring Justice
The Prime Minister made a pointed critique of historical appeasement politics, attributing decades of marginalization and communal tension to vote-bank driven governance.
Referring to the recent Waqf Act amendment, he noted that this reform restores property rights and ends the culture of legal overreach by religious boards.
“Appeasement is the enemy of social justice,” he said, citing the Shah Bano case and other historic examples where minority rights were sacrificed for political gain.
The amended law followed 128 hours of Parliamentary deliberation, 38 committee meetings, and over one crore public submissions—a testament, he said, to India’s evolving participatory democracy. WAVES: India’s Creative Ascent
Concluding his address, PM Modi spotlighted India’s creative potential in a fast-changing world driven by AI and digital transformation. He announced the launch of WAVES (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit)—a new global platform to celebrate and grow India’s entertainment, media, and cultural industries.
To be hosted in May 2025 in Mumbai, WAVES aims to elevate India’s position in global storytelling, gaming, AR/VR, and music. He called on Network18 and other media houses to amplify this initiative and urged youth creators to embrace the “Create in India” vision.
A Call to Action
The Prime Minister praised the summit’s role in turning youth from passive listeners to proactive changemakers. He urged universities, research institutions, and policymakers to integrate the insights from the summit into the national agenda.
He unveiled the ‘Samadhan’ document, a compendium of youth- developed solutions to pressing challenges like air pollution, waste management, education equity, river cleanliness, and urban congestion.
Prime Minister Modi in conversation with Namal Rajapaksa, MP. Also in the photo is Uza Mariya Didi, Former Minister of Defence of the Republic of Maldives and other officials.
