Describing India as “the fastest-growing major economy in the world”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday that it is in the top five globally and is “rapidly progressing” to “becoming one of the top three economies”.
Addressing a gathering at IIIT-Bangalore emphasised that amidst evolving problems, India’s next big priority should be becoming self-reliant in technology and that it was time for Indian tech companies to prioritise the country’s own needs.
“Our next big priority should be becoming self-reliant in technology. Indian tech companies have made a mark globally, developing software and products for the entire world. It is now time to prioritise India’s own needs more strongly and accelerate the development of new products, especially as software and apps are now being used across every domain,” he said after inaugurating critical mobility infrastructure projects in Bengaluru.
He inaugurated the 19.16-km Yellow Line of Bengaluru Metro worth Rs 7,160 crore, thus expanding the city’s metro network to 96 km. He also laid the foundation stone of Bengaluru Metro Phase-3 project, worth over Rs 15,610 crore, and flagged off three Vande Bharat Express trains at KSR Railway Station, Bengaluru.
Vande Bharat trains were launched between Bengaluru and Belagavi, Nagpur and Pune, and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Amritsar. Modi also took a Metro ride on the newly inaugurated metro line from Ragigudda Metro station to Electronic City station.
Modi said it is essential for India to reach new heights in emerging fields. Calling for focused efforts, he stressed the need to strengthen Bengaluru and Karnataka’s presence in Make-in-India and the manufacturing sector. He said India’s products must adhere to the Zero Defect, Zero Effect standard, meaning they should be flawless in quality and have no negative impact on the environment.
Underlining India’s economic strides, he said, “India is currently the fastest-growing major economy in the world. In the past 11 years, India’s economy has risen from the 10th position to the top five globally, and is rapidly progressing toward becoming one of the top three economies.” He attributed this momentum to the spirit of ‘Reform, Perform and Transform’, driven by “clear intent” and “honest efforts”.
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He highlighted that before 2014, India’s total exports had reached only $468 billion whereas today, that figure has risen to $824 billion. He also remarked that earlier, India used to import mobile phones, but now, the country is among the top five exporters of mobile handsets.
He noted that Bengaluru has played a significant role in this transformation and that India’s electronics exports now have increased to nearly $38 billion from $6 billion. He also highlighted that 11 years ago, India’s automobile exports stood at approximately $16 billion and that figure has more than doubled, making India the fourth-largest automobile exporter globally.
Acknowledging the contribution of the youth of Bengaluru and Karnataka in Operation Sindoor, Modi highlighted the success of Indian forces in the operation, noting their capability to destroy terrorist hideouts deep across the border. He attributed the success of Operation Sindoor to the power of technology and the strength of Make-in-India in the defence sector.