'From Fragile Five To Fifth Largest’: Anurag Thakur Slams UPA; Hails Modi Govt For India’s Economic Turnaround

New Delhi: Union Minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Saturday, April 12, drew a sharp contrast between India’s economic past and present, claiming that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the country has risen from being part of the "fragile five" economies to becoming the world’s fifth-largest. He made the remarks while addressing the Sarvodaya Youth Parliament at Hindu College in Delhi.

“In 2014, India was considered one of the 'fragile five' economies of the world. India was marked with policy paralysis. People used to say it was a lost decade...It was a decade of loot. In the last ten years, India has become the fifth-largest economy in the world,” Thakur said, during his address.

Emphasising youth participation in nation-building, Thakur also spoke about the importance of empowering the younger generation. “Respected Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ji, is working on an important mission of making India a 'Viksit Bharat' by organising the youth on one platform and utilising their collective potential,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

He added that with 65% of India’s population below the age of 35, the country’s youth hold immense promise. “What is even more special is that among them, 40 crore youth are between 15 and 19 years of age,” Thakur noted, calling ‘Viksit Bharat’ not just a dream, but “the resolve of all of us.”

Thakur’s speech was part of a broader programme centred around the theme of a developed India. Students from across the country participated in various competitions, and the minister also took time to honour the winners. “Today, addressed the students from all over the country at the Sarvodaya Youth Parliament... and honored the participating/winning students,” he wrote on X.

The event, hosted at Hindu College, aimed to encourage civic engagement and awareness among young citizens.