New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday underscored India’s remarkable economic and structural achievements in 2025, describing the year as a pivotal moment in the nation’s reform journey. In a wide-ranging communication shared via social media, Modi credited “pathbreaking reforms” for placing India at the “centre of global attention” and signalled the continuance of what he termed the “Reform Express” with a philosophy centred on collaboration over control and facilitation over regulation. The Prime Minister’s remarks coincided with official confirmation that India has overtaken Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy.

Modi highlighted that 2025 had been a year when reforms were treated not as episodic policy measures but as a continuous, long-term national mission. “India has boarded the Reform Express,” he said, describing the progress achieved in modernising institutions, simplifying governance, and strengthening the foundations for inclusive and sustainable growth. According to official estimates, India remains the fastest-growing major economy in the world, recording 7.8% real GDP growth in the first quarter of 2025-26 and 8.2% in the second quarter.

In his commentary, Modi emphasised the philosophical shift underlying the government’s reform agenda. He explained that India’s policy framework is moving away from a control-oriented model and embracing one built on trust, facilitation, and collaborative engagement. He urged both domestic and foreign investors to deepen their engagement with India’s growth story, stressing that the country’s reforms are aimed at building a prosperous, self-reliant nation. “Building a Viksit Bharat is the polestar of our development trajectory,” Modi said. “We will continue pursuing the reform agenda in the coming years. I urge everyone in India and abroad to deepen their bond with the India growth story. Keep trusting India and investing in our people!”

The Prime Minister also chaired a high-level meeting with a group of economists and policy experts to discuss measures to sustain India’s high growth trajectory while implementing a long-term development agenda geared toward the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. The meeting, held on Tuesday, was attended by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Suman Bery, among others. The discussion revolved around structural transformation, productivity enhancement, and the adoption of next-generation technologies to position India as a global economic hub.

In an official statement, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) noted that the discussion was held under the theme “Aatmanirbharta and Structural Transformation: Agenda for Viksit Bharat.” Modi emphasised that the vision of a developed India by 2047 has transcended government policy to become a genuine mass aspiration. He pointed to evolving patterns of education, consumption, and global mobility as indicators of a society that increasingly demands more robust institutional capacity, proactive infrastructure planning, and policies that support aspirational growth.

The participants at the meeting, including economists and experts such as Shankar Acharya, Ashok K Bhattacharya, NR Bhanumurthy, Amita Batra, Janmejaya Sinha, Dinesh Kanabar, Madan Sabnavis, Ashima Goyal, Dharmakirti Joshi, Pinaki Chakraborty, and Rahul Bajoria, offered strategic insights on enhancing productivity and competitiveness across manufacturing and services sectors. Discussions focused on accelerating structural transformation through increased household savings, robust infrastructure development, and adoption of advanced technologies. The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in driving cross-sectoral productivity and the continued expansion of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) were also highlighted as key enablers of growth.

Modi’s social media article, titled “2025 – The Year of Reforms,” further elaborated on the specific measures undertaken during the year. He noted that these reforms were designed not merely for economic effect but to enhance the lives of citizens, provide entrepreneurs with confidence to innovate, and improve institutional efficiency and transparency. Among the key reforms cited were the rationalisation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates in October, opening up 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector, labour reforms, diversification of trade, and the signing of free trade agreements with the United Kingdom, Oman, and New Zealand. Additionally, several measures were implemented to facilitate ease of doing business, streamline governance, and support micro, small, and medium enterprises.

Highlighting the underlying philosophy of the 2025 reform agenda, Modi emphasised that collaboration and facilitation were central tenets. Policies were designed with empathy to reflect the realities of small businesses, farmers, young professionals, workers, and the middle class. He pointed out the significance of the new labour codes, which aim to balance the interests of workers with the needs of industry. These reforms are intended to secure fair wages, ensure timely payments, facilitate smoother industrial relations, provide social security, and create safer workplaces. Importantly, they also aim to boost female participation in the workforce and extend formal protections to unorganised and contract workers under the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).

A research report issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), India’s official information dissemination agency, confirmed that with a GDP of $4.18 trillion, India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy. The report projected that India could overtake Germany to claim the third spot within the next two-and-a-half to three years, with a projected GDP of $7.3 trillion by 2030. India’s real GDP growth for the second quarter of 2025-26 reached 8.2%, up from 7.8% in the previous quarter and 7.4% in Q4 of 2024-25, driven by resilient domestic demand despite global trade and policy uncertainties. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised India’s GDP growth forecast for 2025-26 upward to 7.3% from an earlier estimate of 6.8%, underscoring the robustness of the economy.

Looking ahead, the report highlighted key domestic drivers that are expected to sustain economic momentum. These include favourable agricultural prospects, the effects of GST rationalisation, benign inflation, and the strong financial health of corporates and financial institutions. Supportive monetary and financial conditions are also expected to continue bolstering economic activity. On the external front, services exports are projected to remain robust, while the swift conclusion of ongoing trade and investment negotiations is anticipated to provide additional upside potential. Analysts noted that the current macroeconomic conditions present a rare “goldilocks period” characterised by high growth coupled with low inflation, providing an ideal environment for sustained reform and investment.

The Prime Minister also emphasised the long-term nature of India’s growth and development strategy. He urged policymakers, institutions, and investors to align their strategies with the vision of Viksit Bharat, ensuring that India remains a vital hub for global talent, technology, and trade. By focusing on mission-mode reforms across sectors such as manufacturing, services, technology, finance, and infrastructure, India aims to achieve structural transformation that is both inclusive and globally competitive.

In conclusion, Prime Minister Modi’s statements underscore a dual focus on immediate economic reforms and long-term structural transformation. The year 2025 has been marked by significant policy measures aimed at modernising institutions, strengthening governance, and creating a conducive environment for investment and entrepreneurship. With India now ranked as the world’s fourth-largest economy, the government is signalling its intent to continue reforms with renewed vigour, under the guiding principle of Viksit Bharat as the nation’s strategic pole star. The emphasis on collaboration, facilitation, and structural transformation positions India to sustain high growth, expand global integration, and realise the aspiration of becoming a developed nation by 2047.