PM Highlights ‘Democracy That Delivers’ as India Showcases Scale, Inclusion and Diversity

India’s democratic model is fundamentally about “last-mile delivery” and inclusive governance, with development reaching every citizen without discrimination, the Prime Minister said while highlighting the strength of the world’s largest democracy. Emphasising the spirit of public welfare, he noted that over the past few years nearly 250 million people have been lifted out of poverty due to people-centric policies. Calling India’s democratic scale extraordinary, the Prime Minister referred to the 2024 general elections as the largest democratic exercise in human history. Nearly 980 million citizens were registered to vote—more than the population of several continents. The elections featured over 8,000 candidates and more than 700 political parties, reflecting the depth of political participation in the country. A key highlight of Indian democracy, he said, is the growing leadership of women. From record participation of women voters to women holding top constitutional and administrative positions, India is witnessing a shift from participation to leadership. The President of India is a woman, several chief ministers are women, and nearly 1.5 million elected women representatives serve in local and rural governance—almost 50% at the grassroots level, a figure unmatched globally. India’s democracy also thrives on diversity, with hundreds of languages, over 900 television channels, and thousands of publications. This diversity, he said, is not a challenge but a celebration rooted in strong democratic foundations.