PM Modi at HTLS 2025: India’s Confidence, Reforms and Vision for 2035

The Prime Minister highlighted how global crises—financial instability, pandemics, wars, and technological disruptions—have reshaped geopolitics and economies.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi delivered a far-reaching and visionary address at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit (HTLS) 2025 in New Delhi, outlining India’s evolving growth trajectory, shifts in national mindset, and the country’s mission to shape the future over the next decade. Speaking before an audience of distinguished Indian and global leaders, the Prime Minister reflected on India’s growing self-confidence, resilience, and reform-driven progress—elements he described as the foundation for “Transforming Tomorrow,” the summit’s central theme.

A Century of HT Legacy and India’s Forward Momentum

Shri Modi acknowledged the 101-year legacy of Hindustan Times, enriched by the contributions of transformative national figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Madan Mohan Malaviya and Ghanshyamdas Birla. He praised the media house for visually capturing India’s evolving narrative, especially through its exhibition showcasing powerful photographic documentation of the country’s socio-economic development.

He also recognized Mahaparinirvan Diwas, paying tribute to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and linking the Constitution-maker’s vision to India’s present moment—standing 25 years into the 21st century and navigating unprecedented global disruptions.

India: A Pillar of Stability in an Uncertain World

The Prime Minister highlighted how global crises—financial instability, pandemics, wars, and technological disruptions—have reshaped geopolitics and economies. Despite global uncertainty, India, he said, has distinguished itself through high growth, stability, increasing trust, and global leadership.

• Q2 GDP growth above 8% places India far ahead of global averages, including the G-7 nations.

• India is seen as a growth engine, with high growth and comparatively low inflation.

• This economic performance, he asserted, signals not just statistical achievement but a deeper structural transformation.

Unlocking Untapped Potential Across India

PM Modi underscored the transformation emerging from sectors and regions long overlooked:

• Eastern India and the North-East witnessing record infrastructure investments.

• Tier-II and Tier-III cities growing as startup and MSME hubs.

• FPOs integrating rural farmers into global supply chains.

• Women-led growth, with India’s daughters excelling across fields—from sports to space, entrepreneurship to administration.

He emphasized that these efforts represent India’s commitment to ensuring that every segment of society participates in and contributes to development.

Space Sector: Symbol of New Aspirations

Highlighting India’s expanding private participation in space, the PM referenced the recent inauguration of Skyroot’s Infinity Campus. Skyroot’s ability to build one rocket every month and its work on the Vikram-1 launch vehicle exemplify the new economic avenues created when reforms meet youthful innovation.

Reforms with National Vision, Not Crisis Reaction

Shri Modi emphasized a shift from reactionary, crisis-driven reforms to long-term, nation-first reforms:

• Introduction of next-generation GST.

• Zero income tax up to ₹12 lakh, easing household financial burdens.

• Amending the definition of Small Companies, enabling thousands of enterprises to benefit from simplified processes.

• Removal of nearly 200 product categories from mandatory quality control requirements to promote ease of doing business.

These reforms, he said, reflect consistent intent and national priorities—not political expediency.

Dismantling the Colonial Mindset: India’s Psychological Renaissance

A major portion of the address focused on the colonial mindset that weakened India’s confidence for centuries. The PM listed examples:

• Indian culture, attire, festivals and knowledge systems—like Ayurveda and Yoga—were once dismissed as inferior.

• India’s historic manufacturing capabilities, including shipbuilding and defense production, were dismantled post-Independence due to internalized colonial bias.

• The term “Hindu rate of growth”, he argued, reflected a prejudiced academic framework that unfairly linked cultural identity to economic stagnation.

He called for a nationwide resolve to completely eliminate colonial thinking by 2035, marking 200 years of Macaulay’s policies that institutionalized mental subjugation.

Restoring Trust Between Government and Citizens

PM Modi highlighted how distrust had shaped governance for decades:

• Mandatory attestation for documents, now replaced by self-attestation.

• The Jan-Vishwas Law, which decriminalized hundreds of minor offenses.

• The Mudra Yojana, offering ₹37 lakh crore in collateral-free loans, enabling youth entrepreneurship.

He also revealed striking figures of unclaimed public money—₹78,000 crore in banks, ₹14,000 crore with insurers, and more—now being returned through district-level camps, symbolizing renewed trust.

Energy, Technology and Manufacturing: Building the Future

Presenting the example of solar energy, he noted that capacity rose from 3 GW in 2014 to over 130 GW today. The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana has empowered ordinary citizens; in Varanasi alone, 26,000 solar installations generate over three lakh units daily and prevent emissions equivalent to planting 40 lakh trees annually.

Similarly:

• Mobile phone imports dropped from 75% to near zero, with India emerging as a major exporter.

• Long-delayed semiconductor opportunities are now being revived.

• India aims to reduce massive energy imports through renewable expansion.

A Collective National Resolve

The Prime Minister concluded by asserting that the journey toward Transforming Tomorrow is not defined by isolated schemes but by:

• Broad societal participation

• Policy continuity

• Nationwide confidence

• A shared mission for a developed India

He called upon every citizen to contribute to India’s next decade—a decade he believes will redefine the nation’s place in the world.