Bengaluru: Taking a veiled dig at US President Donald Trump’s remark describing India as a “dead economy,” PM Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that the country is on track to become one of the world’s top three economies. He said that India’s economic momentum is driven by a clear roadmap built on reform, performance, and transformation — backed by intent and integrity.
“We are rapidly moving towards becoming one of the world’s top three economies. This speed has come from our spirit of reform, perform, and transform — from clear intentions and honest efforts,” Modi said.
PM Modi Lists Key Milestones Across Sectors
Listing key milestones across sectors, Modi highlighted India’s transformation over the past decade. In 2014, metro rail services were available in just five cities. Today, India has a metro network spanning over 1,000 km across 24 cities, making it the third-largest in the world. He added that since Independence until 2014, only 20,000 km of railway lines had been electrified.
Over the past 11 years, that number has doubled to 40,000 km. India’s civil aviation infrastructure has also seen rapid growth, with the number of airports rising from 74 in 2014 to more than 160 today. National waterways have expanded from just three in 2014 to 30 now. On the export front, Modi noted that India's total exports have jumped from $468 billion in 2014 to $824 billion in 2025. Electronic exports surged from $6 billion to $38 billion, with India now among the top five mobile handset exporters globally.
Similarly, automobile exports have more than doubled, making India the fourth-largest auto exporter in the world. “These achievements strengthen our vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). We will move forward together and build a developed nation,” Modi said. Emphasising the need for technological self-reliance, Modi said India must lead in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors. He cited the progress made under the India AI Mission and the country’s push to manufacture semiconductors domestically. “India is fast moving towards global leadership in AI.
The semiconductor mission is gaining momentum, and we will soon see a Made-in-India chip,” he said. The PM also praised India’s success in space technology, calling it an example of “low-cost, hightech” innovation. He said such advancements are now empowering the poor and transforming rural India through widespread digital access. Modi noted that India accounts for over 50% of the world’s real-time digital transactions, thanks largely to the success of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). He said this digital revolution is reaching every village, enabling inclusive growth.
Urging a focus on manufacturing excellence, Modi called on industries to adopt the “Zero Defect, Zero Effect” standard — aiming for world-class quality without environmental harm. He also stressed the importance of strengthening Bengaluru and Karnataka’s role in the ‘Make in India’ and manufacturing ecosystem.
