Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at the 23rd edition of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
The prime minister spoke at length about India’s unique position in a world of economic uncertainty, highlighting its growth, self-confidence, and transformative journey over the past decade. Amidst global challenges, PM Modi said, India stands as a beacon of hope and innovation for the future.
This year, under the theme “Transforming Tomorrow”, leaders and changemakers from diverse fields, including politics, business, sports, health, science, and entertainment, gather to capture the spirit of innovation, resilience, and growth that defines our era.
Top quotes from the Prime Minister’s speech at HTLS:
1- When global growth is at 3 per cent, the economies of G7 countries are somewhere near 1.5 per cent. India is the model of high growth and low inflation
2- We are at a juncture where the world has seen many ups and downs – financial crisis, global pandemic. These situations, in some way or another, challenged the world. Today, the world is full of uncertainties, but amid this, our India is emerging in a different league. India is full of self-confidence.
When the world talks about a slowdown, India writes stories of growth.
It’s not just about figures; this is a fundamental change that India has brought about over the last decade.
3. When the world talks about a slowdown, India tells stories of growth. When it faces a trust crisis, India becomes a pillar of trust.
4. It’s not just about figures; this is a fundamental change that India has brought about over the last decade. This represents a shift in resilience, a change in mentality that fosters finding solutions, and a change in aspirations. India is not only transforming today, but is also transforming the tomorrow that is about to come.
5-Today, our villages and smaller cities are also benefiting from the latest technological advancements. Smaller cities have now become hubs of MSMEs. Farmers in villages are now connecting to a global hub.
6-Indian women are also establishing their might globally
7. It is also important to discuss another change that India has brought about. Reforms used to be reactionary in India – they were introduced to score political points or manage a crisis. However, reform is now a given – in every sector, we are growing at a steady pace. Our intent is nation first.
8. Even after 79 years of independence, India is still working towards freedom from the colonial mindset.
9- PM Modi also took a jibe at the earlier government for “not having faith in their own citizens”. The prime minister recalled how, earlier, citizens had to get their own documents attested by government officials.
“Our government broke that way of working. A citizen’s self-attested document is enough to prove its authenticity,” the PM said while speaking at the 23rd edition of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
10-Today, in the country’s banks, ₹78,000 crore of our citizens’ own money is lying unclaimed. We don’t know who this money belongs to; it is just there. Insurance companies have Rs14,000 crore, and dividends have ₹9,000 crore. And all this money is unclaimed; there’s no owner.
PM Modi sets 10-year deadline
11- Till now, camps have been held in around 500 districts to identify the owners of this money, and we have given back several thousand dollars to them. This is not just about the return of asset, this is about trust
12- Modi referred to 2035 as the target year to overcome the “mindset of slavery” from the colonial era. This reference cites the 200th anniversary of Macaulay’s education policy.
“We are completing 200 years of colonialism in 2035, and we have ten years to get there. And in these 10 years, we have to rid the country of this colonial mindset,” the PM said.
13-“Such was the impact of this colonial mentality that even today, when many around the world describe Bharat as a global growth engine, how often do you hear anyone speak proudly about this rapid growth?”
“Has anyone ever referred to it as the Hindu rate of growth? The term Hindu rate of growth was used at a time when Bharat struggled even to reach a growth rate of two to three percent.”
“Linking a country’s economic performance to the faith of its people was no coincidence.”
Key Takeaways
- India’s economy is showcasing resilience and high growth amidst global challenges.
- The shift in India’s mentality towards solution-finding and aspiration is notable.
- India is positioned as a pillar of trust and innovation on the global stage.
