Narendra Modi took office as India’s Prime Minister in May 2014, and over the next eleven years his government implemented a range of policies affecting the economy, infrastructure, society, and national development. India’s economy grew strongly in this period. Official data show that India’s nominal GDP more than doubled, from about $2 trillion in 2014 to over $4 trillion by 2025. India climbed from the tenth-largest economy in 2014 to the fifth-largest by 2019 and, by mid-2025, was projected to become the world’s fourth-largest (surpassing Japan). Growth in real terms averaged around 6–7 per cent per year (excluding the pandemic downturn), making India one of the fastest-growing large economies. For example, in FY2023/24 India recorded roughly 8.2 per cent GDP growth – the highest rate among major economies. Reforms also improved the business environment: India’s World Bank “Ease of Doing Business” rank rose dramatically, from 142nd in 2014 to 63rd by 2020. Major tax and financial reforms – including the introduction of a nationwide Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017 and measures to encourage digital payments – helped broaden the tax base and streamline regulations. These changes, along with fiscal prudence, contributed to lower inflation over time and a large buildup of foreign exchange reserves.
ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION
Under Prime Minister Modi, India’s economy experienced transformative changes. Key structural reforms and investments led to sustained growth and stability. As noted by government and independent analysts, India’s GDP roughly doubled in this period – from about $2 trillion when Narendra Modi took office to over $4 trillion by 2025. This rapid expansion made India the world’s fifth-largest economy by 2019 and, according to IMF data cited by officials, the fourth-largest by 2025. India’s average growth rate of around 6–7 per cent (before the COVID-19 shock) far exceeded global averages. In FY2023/24, India grew 8.2 per cent, outpacing most advanced economies.
These gains reflected a more business-friendly environment. The government simplified regulations and reduced red tape: by 2020 India’s rank in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business report had jumped to 63rd (among 190 countries) from 142nd in 2014. Financial reforms – such as the creation of a unified GST – helped integrate regional markets and improve tax compliance. Initiatives like “Make in India” and production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes aimed to boost manufacturing and attract investment. Credit support programs (e.g. increased micro-loans under Mudra Yojana) and continued banking reforms strengthened the financial sector. Inflation was generally kept in check through monetary discipline, aided by stable oil prices, and by 2025 India’s foreign-exchange reserves reached record highs (around \$670 billion). Overall, under his government India consolidated its reputation as a fast-growing economy, drawing significant global investor interest.
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
Major infrastructure expansion was a hallmark of the governance under Narendra Modi. Government records describe it as “unprecedented” development carried out through large programs and coordinated planning. In the road sector, the national highway network was vastly enlarged. By March 2025, India’s national highway length had grown about 60 per cent – from 91,287 km in 2014 to 146,204 km – as part of flagship projects like Bharatmala. In total, India’s road network reached over 63 lakh kilometers by 2025, making it the second-longest network in the world. The pace of highway construction accelerated from about 11.6 km/day in 2014 to over 34 km/day by 2025. In FY2024-25 alone, around 5,500 km of National Highways were built, part of hundreds of new contracts. Expressways and high-speed corridors also expanded: high-speed expressway length grew from only 93 km in 2014 to 2,474 km by 2025, helping connect major cities. These roads reduced travel times and enabled better freight movement across regions.
Railway modernization advanced in parallel. The government electrified almost the entire broad-gauge network: over 45,000 route-kilometers were electrified since 2014, saving energy and increasing train speeds. India rolled out 68 new semi-high-speed “Vande Bharat” trains serving 333 districts. Rail station redevelopments, introduction of digital ticketing, and safety upgrades (such as the new “Kavach” signaling system) were also pursued. Urban transport infrastructure grew: dozens of metro systems in cities were opened or extended. In air transport, regional connectivity improved sharply. The UDAN scheme brought 88 new airports online (often in smaller towns) and carried about 15 million passengers by 2025. Several greenfield airports and ropeway projects (e.g. in hilly regions) were completed, greatly expanding domestic air travel capacity.
Ports and waterways also saw large upgrades. Port capacity nearly doubled to 2,762 million tonnes per annum by 2025, as major ports and new terminals were developed under the Sagarmala initiative. Cargo handling became faster – average vessel turnaround times fell from 93 to 49 hours. Inland waterways were promoted: freight on river and canal routes rose about 710%, from 18 MMT to 146 MMT annually, as new projects opened water transport on the Ganges and other national waterways. Digital infrastructure was likewise expanded, with programs like BharatNet providing high-speed internet to villages. In rural areas, about 7.8 lakh kilometers of village roads were built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, ensuring most remote hamlets gained all-weather road links. Overall, this period saw accelerated public investment – sixfold more on roads and highways than a decade earlier – in a coordinated effort to interconnect modes of transport and logistics.
SOCIAL WELFARE
The Modi government launched or expanded many social welfare schemes to benefit the poor and marginalized. A signature program was Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), a financial inclusion mission started in 2014. In its first decade, over 53.1 crore bank accounts were opened under PMJDY (from about 15.6 crore in 2015), giving millions of low-income households access to banking. About two-thirds of these accounts are in rural or semi-urban areas and over half held by women. The linked Rupay debit cards from these accounts, often with free accident insurance, brought formerly unbanked families into the financial system. This “JAM trinity” (Jan-Dhan, Aadhaar, mobile) enabled direct transfer of many welfare benefits into bank accounts.
In basic welfare, huge numbers of beneficiaries were covered. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, roughly 81 crore people received subsidized food grains. The Swachh Bharat sanitation drive built more than 12 crore toilets nationwide, virtually eliminating open defecation in rural India. The Jal Jeevan Mission ensured tap water connections for nearly 15 crore rural households. Low-cost housing programs delivered over 4 crore subsidized homes to the poor by 2025. Under Ujjwala Yojana (clean cooking fuel), 10.33 crore poor families received free LPG connections by March 2025, cutting indoor air pollution and easing women’s household burden.
Healthcare coverage was also expanded. The Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) health insurance scheme was rolled out to cover the poorest 40% of the population (about 55 crore people, or 12.4 crore families). By late 2024 around 36 crore beneficiaries were enrolled and over 8.4 crore hospital stays (totaling ₹1.16 lakh crore) had been paid for under this program. Prenatal and maternity assistance reached millions under the PM Matru Vandana Yojana (the government reports nearly 3.9 crore mothers paid maternity grants). Farmers were supported through income schemes: the PM-Kisan program disbursed roughly ₹3.7 lakh crore directly to over 10 crore small farmers by early 2025. In education and employment, scholarships for girls and skill-training programs were stepped up (e.g. over 1.6 crore youths trained under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana). Financial support was extended to micro-entrepreneurs: more than 52 crore small loans were sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, and special credit schemes aided street vendors and women-run small businesses. Overall, welfare programs in this period targeted basic needs – food, toilets, water, housing, fuel, health, education – for hundreds of millions, reflecting a commitment to inclusive development.
AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Agriculture and rural economies were a key focus. The government significantly increased agricultural budgets and support schemes. Direct income support under PM-Kisan (launched in 2019) reached ₹3.7 lakh crore by 2025. Crop insurance payouts also rose (over ₹1.75 lakh crore by 2025) to protect farmers against losses. Soil Health Cards were given to about 25 crore farmers to guide better farming practices. Infrastructure funding for agriculture expanded: the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (₹1 lakh crore) supported rural warehouses and processing, and over 1,400 wholesale markets (mandis) were linked to the national e-NAM trading platform, improving price realization for farmers. To boost allied sectors and sustainable farming, missions like the Mission Organic Value Chain Development benefited 2.19 lakh farmers and organized 434 new Farmer Producer Organisations across 1.73 lakh hectares.
Rural connectivity improved alongside. Millions of village roads and bridges were built so remote farmers could access markets. Rural electrification programs (Saubhagya) and improved irrigation (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee) sought to enhance farm productivity. Education and training in rural areas were expanded through initiatives like Saakshar Bharat and Skill India. Government schemes directly for rural poor – such as higher wages under MGNREGA (public works employment) and social pensions – also supplemented incomes. These measures, combined with urban–rural job creation, aimed to reduce the urban-rural divide. The net effect was a multi-faceted push to raise rural incomes, modernize farming, and connect villages to broader economic opportunities.
RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRESS
India achieved rapid growth in clean energy under his leadership. By March 2025 the country’s total renewable energy capacity (including solar, wind, small hydro, biomass) reached about 220.10 gigawatts, up from under 200 GW the previous year. A record 29.5 GW of new renewable power was added in FY2024-25. Solar power made the largest contribution: total installed solar capacity crossed 105.65 GW by 2025 (up \~23.8 GW in one year). Wind power also accelerated, surpassing 50 GW of cumulative capacity. Emerging sources like bioenergy (11.58 GW) and small hydro (5.10 GW) supplemented the mix. In total, India was the third-largest country in the world for renewable energy capacity (after China and the US), with top-five global rankings specifically in wind and solar. This expansion reflected both utility-scale projects (solar parks, large wind farms) and distributed generation (rooftop solar growth).
These achievements align with India’s climate and development commitments. Under Modi, India set a target of 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030 and has invested in grid upgrades and storage to integrate intermittent power. India also took global leadership in solar deployment: in 2015 it co-founded the International Solar Alliance (with France), an initiative now supported by around 120 countries. The alliance aims to facilitate solar technology sharing and financing for sunny developing countries. Domestically, policies like attractive bidding for solar and wind power, along with tax incentives, mobilized both public and private investment in renewables. Together, these steps have put India on track to meet its renewable goals and have contributed to cleaner air and energy security for the country.
INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The governance under Narendra Modi saw a surge in entrepreneurship and digital innovation. The government launched several flagship programs (e.g. Startup India, Digital India) to nurture technology and startups. These efforts paid off: by January 2025, India had over 1.59 lakh startups recognized by the government, making it the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. Indian startups included more than 100 “unicorns” by 2025, especially in sectors like fintech, e-commerce, edtech and biotech. Collectively, these startups have generated about 16.6 lakh direct jobs as of late 2024, highlighting their contribution to employment.
Digital infrastructure expanded alongside: India became one of the fastest-growing internet and mobile markets. Digital payment systems were revolutionized by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), launched in 2016, which now processes tens of billions of transactions monthly (though exact citation not provided here). Government and private support spurred incubation, funding, and ease of setting up new businesses. The creation of a “Fund of Funds” (₹10,000 crore) provided seed capital to promising startups. These policies eased compliance (e.g. startup-friendly tax breaks) and helped innovators bring products to market. As a result, India moved from a “jobs-for-the-takers” economy toward a “jobs-from-the-makers” model, with entrepreneurship seen as a driver of future growth.
FOREIGN POLICY
Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership also reshaped India’s foreign relations. His government pursued active diplomacy, focusing on “Neighborhood First” and “Act East” policies to deepen ties with South Asian and Southeast Asian neighbors. It revitalized partnerships with traditional allies (e.g. the United States, Japan, Europe) while also engaging emerging powers. India assumed leadership roles in global forums: it chaired the G20 in 2023, hosting a widely attended summit that emphasized inclusive growth and climate action. It led the BRICS grouping in 2022, broadening it to include new members, and hosted the SCO summit. India’s voice was heard in global platforms on issues from trade to security. For example, India advocated for the interests of developing nations at climate talks, championed a vaccine-sharing initiative during the pandemic, and co-founded climate-related alliances (such as the aforementioned solar alliance) to mobilize international cooperation. India continued large-scale engagement with neighboring countries, including infrastructure and energy deals (electricity grids with Bhutan, highways to Nepal and Bangladesh) and cultural outreach. The government also cultivated maritime partnerships (e.g. through the Quad forum with Japan, Australia, and the U.S.) to promote stability in the Indo-Pacific. These efforts enhanced India’s global stature and economic links without direct citation here, as they are widely documented.
NATIONAL SECURITY
On the national security front, the Modi government undertook substantial modernization of the armed forces and defense industry. Defense budgets rose steadily: from ₹2.53 lakh crore in 2013–14 to about ₹6.81 lakh crore in 2025–26. This unprecedented funding increase reflected a long-term vision of security and self-reliance. Indigenous defense production surged: in 2023–24 India’s recorded defense production reached a record ₹1.27 lakh crore, up 174% from about ₹46,000 crore in 2014–15. The government prioritized domestic manufacturing through “Make in India” policies and procurement rules that favored Indian suppliers. In 2024–25 the defense ministry signed 193 contracts worth ₹2.09 lakh crore (a record), of which 177 contracts (about ₹1.69 lakh crore) went to Indian companies. This shift created jobs and grew technology capability in sectors like missiles, aircraft, artillery, and electronics.
Other initiatives strengthened security readiness. Dedicated defense industrial corridors (in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) attracted over ₹8,600 crore in investment and over 250 MoUs, building supply chains for weapons and vehicles. The government published positive “indigenization lists” (covering thousands of parts and systems) to restrict imports and encourage local design; by 2025 about 3,000 of 5,500 listed items had been made in India. Key new platforms entered service, such as the Tejas fighter jet, Scorpene submarines, and new helicopters, though details are beyond our scope. Simultaneously, India continued its counter-terrorism and border security efforts. Operations against insurgents in the Northeast reduced violence, and security relations with neighbors were bolstered by cooperation. (For example, Northeast airports increased from 9 to 19, and insurgency incidents fell significantly.) Overall, the period saw a transformation in India’s defense posture – more capable, more home-grown, and better equipped – consistent with the goal of protecting the nation in a complex security environment.
CULTURAL REVIVAL
Cultural heritage and national identity received renewed attention. The government emphasized projects to preserve and celebrate India’s traditions. Hundreds of antiquities looted or illegally exported were actively traced and brought back; by 2025 around 345 artifacts had been repatriated, including 297 recently returned from the United States. In language and literature, the government expanded recognition of India’s diversity: in 2024, five additional languages (Assamese, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Bengali) were designated as “classical” languages – a status that highlights their historical legacy and promotes scholarship. Important Indian literary works gained global recognition, with three epic texts (the Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra, and Sahrdayaloka-Locana) inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World register in 2024.
Public celebrations and institutions reflected this cultural focus. “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav,” the 75th-anniversary commemoration of independence, featured nationwide festivals. One such campaign, “Har Ghar Tiranga” (8–15 August 2022), saw over 50 million Indians flagging their homes with the tricolor and posting images on the government’s digital map, reinforcing patriotism among citizens. The government also invested in heritage infrastructure: it is building a new national museum (the world’s largest, covering 1.55 lakh m²) in New Delhi to showcase India’s history and art. At the same time, events like the International Buddhist Summit (32 countries, 160 participants in 2024) and global cultural exchanges (e.g. exposition of Buddha’s relics) were used to project India’s soft power and connect with other cultures. In urban revitalization, projects like the redevelopment of Gandhinagar and Srinagar old city sought to blend heritage with modern amenities. Overall, Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s tenure saw an active agenda of cultural revival: returning lost artifacts, celebrating heritage events, promoting arts and languages, and involving citizens (especially youth) in a renewed sense of national pride.
CONCLUSION
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eleven-year tenure represents a transformative era in Indian governance, characterized by comprehensive reforms that have fundamentally reshaped the country’s trajectory. From revolutionary digital payment systems and massive infrastructure development to unprecedented social welfare programs and environmental leadership, the Modi administration has created a new paradigm of governance rooted in data-driven policies and citizen-centric delivery. The government’s achievements in financial inclusion, healthcare access, sanitation, renewable energy, and international diplomacy have not only improved millions of lives but also positioned India as a responsible global leader. These accomplishments reflect a governance model that successfully balances economic growth with social inclusion, technological advancement with cultural preservation, and national development with global cooperation, establishing a strong foundation for India’s continued emergence as a major world power.
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