In an exclusive interview with Press Trust of India, Narendra Modi said women will play the most decisive role in building a “Viksit Bharat,” asserting that women’s welfare guides every major policy decision of his government. He said India’s reform push has driven large-scale economic transformation and positioned the country as a global digital leader through platforms such as UPI.
AI Push, Jobs, Trade Expansion
Highlighting future growth sectors, PM Modi said India is laying the foundation for a strong artificial intelligence ecosystem by rapidly expanding computing power and data centre infrastructure. He added that data centres will be a major job creator for India’s youth and invited global firms to host their data in India. He also said India’s Free Trade Agreements are aimed at expanding market access for MSMEs across textiles, leather, chemicals, handicrafts, gems, and other sectors.
Productivity Gains Must Benefit Workers
On industry and labour, Indian PM also said rising productivity must translate into fair gains for workers, urging the private sector to invest aggressively in R&D, supply chains, and quality rather than focusing only on margins. He said the government remains committed to reforms and sees the private sector as critical for the next phase of economic transformation.
Defence Modernisation, UPA Talks Critique
On defence, PM said the government is modernising the sector in line with current realities and will take all necessary steps to strengthen the armed forces, pointing to rising defence budget allocations. Taking a swipe at past governments, Modi said the United Progressive Alliance era saw long negotiations but delivered little real outcome on the ground, adding that India is now negotiating from a position of greater economic and strategic confidence.
