Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sweeping attack on opposition parties while defending his government’s economic record, welfare expansion and long-term goal of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047. He was replying to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha amid sloganeering, repeated interruptions and a subsequent Opposition walkout.
Modi replied in the Upper House, while his reply in Lok Sabha was deferred with Speaker Om Birla saying that he urged the PM to refrain from coming to the house as there was a plan to gherao him by the Opposition MPs. It was unexpected turn of events as the Opposition and the treasury benches were involved in hitting out at each other.
The Prime Minister also took a dig at Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge during the disruptions, suggesting he could continue raising slogans while seated.
In his address, Modi criticised parties including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK and the Left, accusing them of corruption, weak governance, support for illegal infiltration and disregard for constitutional institutions and social groups. He contrasted this with what he described as policy-driven governance and structural reforms implemented since 2014 to stabilise the banking system, expand welfare delivery, strengthen public sector enterprises and accelerate infrastructure development.
Defending the government’s macroeconomic performance, Modi said India had moved from being grouped among “fragile” economies to advancing towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy. He cited sustained high growth alongside relatively low inflation, expanding global trade engagement and rising international confidence as indicators of economic resilience. He added that India was emerging as a trusted global partner and a leading voice of the Global South in a shifting post-pandemic world order.
Highlighting external engagement, Modi said recent trade agreements with the European Union and the United States had strengthened global confidence in India’s economic trajectory and signalled greater stability. Describing the EU pact as the “mother of all deals” involving a 27-nation bloc, he said successive agreements reflected other countries’ willingness to align with India’s growth story. He also pointed to rising global demand for Indian professionals and skilled workers as evidence of expanding opportunities for the country’s youth.
On domestic policy, the Prime Minister highlighted a sharp reduction in non-performing assets in the banking sector to below one per cent, consolidation and financial strengthening of banks, and collateral-free lending exceeding Rs 30 lakh crore under the Mudra scheme to support entrepreneurship and self-employment. He also cited record profitability among public sector enterprises and their growing contribution to manufacturing, job creation and overseas expansion.
Modi said welfare interventions across housing, rural electrification, sanitation, drinking water, cooking gas access, financial inclusion and healthcare had improved living standards and enabled more than 25 crore people to move out of poverty. Direct financial support to small farmers, expanded assistance for rural women and the strengthening of self-help groups were presented as key elements of targeted social protection.
Contrasting governance approaches, the Prime Minister argued that replacing the Planning Commission with NITI Aayog had enabled faster, more flexible policy execution. He cited the Aspirational Districts programme and the completion of long-pending infrastructure projects—including dams, rail links, bridges and connectivity initiatives in the Northeast—as evidence of improved implementation capacity.
Looking ahead, Modi emphasised investments in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, green hydrogen, critical minerals, space technology and deep-sea exploration, describing them as pillars of India’s long-term growth strategy. Reiterating the goal of achieving “Viksit Bharat” by 2047, he called for a national push toward quality manufacturing, innovation and research to ensure global trust in “Made in India” products.