Prime Minister Narendra Modi has positioned a 10-year national goal for his country to dismantle the so-called colonial mindset within the institutions, the society, and the general life of India, and emphasized self-confidence, native pride, and future reforms. Modi said this at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit (HTLS) 2025, which is the 23rd annual convention held in New Delhi, where he was the keynote speaker.
Delivering his address under the heading of Transforming Tomorrow, the Prime Minister has connected the present economic pace of India with the structural and proactive reforms implemented during the last ten years and made the nation one of the pillars of trust, in the face of global instability.
‘India Appearing in a Different League’
In reference to economic uncertainty in the world, Modi remarked that the nation is resilient.
As the world discusses a slowdown, India writes about growing. As the world has a trust crisis, India turns to be a tower of trust, he said, and India, he added, is shining in a world full of uncertainties.
The Prime Minister gave financial crises, the pandemic, and technological upheavals as global shocks that had tested various countries in the first quarter of the 21st century, but India had come out stronger than ever before.
Growth Figures as ‘Strong Signals’
Modi made it clear that the current economic growth rate of about 8 per cent is more than just a statistical feat in India.
“These are not just numbers. They are good macroeconomic indicators, he said. It is communicated that India is emerging as an important growth driver of the world economy today.
He referred to the rise in India as a manifestation of new momentum, citing economic reforms and saying that they have been long-term national goals, not responses to crises.
Reforms Driven by ‘Nation First’
The Prime Minister pointed out the fact that the reform process in India has undergone a significant change, and that the modern reforms take the concept of the nation first. He gave an example of reforms in the tax system, such as GST variations and a cut in the income tax as examples of reforms that have been implemented proactively and not in response to external forces.
Unbelievable a decade ago is what Modi said, claiming that India is moving towards reform has become a consistent intention and a nationally oriented priority. We go the same way, we have a plan, purpose is nation first.
‘Hindu Rate of Growth’ Remark Criticised
Modi denounced the historical usage of the term Hindu rate of growth as an instance of colonial days lingo on economic commentary and popular opinion. He was wondering why the application of the term had never been regarded in a communal perspective.
He said when India was struggling to attain 2-3% growth, this was termed as the Hindu rate of growth. Hindu culture was being indicated as a slow progress. According to Modi, at an increase of 7.8 per cent, the similar terminology had vanished.
Colonial Thinking and Strategic Self-Belief
According to the Prime Minister, the remnants of colonialism had previously affected India’s defence and manufacturing industries, such as the assumption that locally made weapons were of low quality. This made India the largest arms importer in the world, he opined.
Modi added that the decade would be spent on breaking the slave mentality and replacing it with self-confidence and innovation.
He said, we must get the colonial system out of the country at all points. And during these 10 years, we must get this colonial mentality out of this country.
Women’s Empowerment as a Key Pillar
Emphasizing government initiatives in education, business, and political participation, Modi claimed that nari shakti (women’s power) had become the main force in India’s national development narrative. He attributed the increased involvement of women in the revolution to governance and economic development.
The Prime Minister claimed that good representation of women in all sectors is carving out the way for India to Vikshit Bharat 2047, the long-term vision of the government to make India a developed country by the 100th anniversary of independence.
