Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (October 13, 2026) said India’s economic growth was anchored in strong fundamentals and a sustained reform drive, declaring that the country sought to expand its global economic influence through shared prosperity rather than at the expense of other nations.

“We do not grow at anyone’s cost. We grow with the world. And for the world,” Mr. Modi said, pitching India as a reliable economic partner amid geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and growing competition over critical technologies and resources.

Addressing an Bloomberg Economic Forum, he cited the country’s 7.8% economic growth in the April-June quarter, foreign-exchange reserves exceeding $700 billion and reforms spanning taxation, insolvency and labour laws as evidence of its resilience. “In this world full of uncertainties, India inspires reliability and stability,” he said.

“This year, in the April to June quarter, India’s economic growth was 7.8%. And this growth is taking place on a strong foundation,” he said citing strong macroeconomic fundamentals, including drastic reduction in India’s current account deficit from over 4% 12-13 years back to about half a per cent now.

Mr. Modi argued that economic and technological strength should be measured not merely by the power a country commands, but by how effectively it creates opportunities for others. “The real question is not who has the power. The real question is, how is this power being used?” he said, summarising his approach as “power to empower”.

The Prime Minister highlighted India’s digital public infrastructure, expanding startup ecosystem and clean-energy capacity as examples of how domestic capabilities could support inclusive growth. He said India was sharing its experience in digital identity, payments and public infrastructure with partner countries, particularly in the Global South.

“For us, reforms are not a compulsion. Reforms are our conviction,” he said.

Mr. Modi also warned that supply chains, energy, critical minerals, payment systems and technology were increasingly becoming instruments of geopolitical pressure, making reliable partners and resilient economic systems more important.

“They are all becoming tools for coercion and for exerting pressure,” he said.

The remarks come as India seeks to attract investment, expand its role in global supply chains and deepen economic partnerships with emerging markets.

Mr. Modi pitched the country’s growth not only as a domestic economic achievement but also as a potential source of technology, talent and solutions for other economies.

He highlighted India’s digital public infrastructure, startup ecosystem, expanding clean-energy capacity and improving macroeconomic indicators to argue that the country’s rise offered a model of inclusive growth amid geopolitical tensions, supply-chain disruptions and growing competition over critical technologies and resources.

“Power is to empower,” he said, arguing that the true measure of economic and technological strength lay in how effectively it could improve lives, expand opportunities and help other countries address shared challenges.

The remarks came as India seeks to consolidate its position as a major growth engine and an alternative manufacturing and technology hub amid an increasingly fragmented global economy.

Mr. Modi said India wanted to deepen international partnerships by sharing its expertise in digital payments, digital identity and public infrastructure, particularly with countries in the Global South.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the expansion of India’s startup ecosystem and renewable-energy capacity, arguing that technology and innovation should benefit people across income groups and geographies. He cited India’s COVID-19 vaccine supplies to more than 100 countries as an example of using domestic capabilities to meet global needs.

Warning that supply chains, energy, critical minerals, payments and technology were increasingly becoming instruments of geopolitical pressure, Modi called for greater international cooperation on climate change, public health, artificial intelligence and economic security.

Published – October 13, 2026 12:08 pm IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (September 28, 2026) paid tribute to former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international working president Ashok Singhal on his birth centenary, describing him as an “organisational genius” and recalling his “pivotal role” in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

In an OpEd, Mr. Modi recalled his many interactions with Mr. Singhal, who was born on September 27, 1926, and passed away on November 17, 2015.

“I consider it a privilege that I had innumerable opportunities to interact with Ashok Ji and receive his affection,” Mr. Modi wrote. “One of the earliest instances dates back to 1981, when I was a young Karyakarta going about the organisational duties given to me. I received a handwritten letter from him,” he added. “Naturally, it was a noteworthy moment for me.”

Remembering the person

Mr. Modi wrote about Mr. Singhal both as a person as well as an administrator. 

He went on to recall how, over several decades, he saw Mr. Singhal work hard on various projects that often involved “long and often difficult travels to the remotest of areas”. 

“His mind was constantly running, thinking about what more one can do for those on the margins of society,” Mr. Modi recalled. “Whenever any part of the nation was affected by a natural disaster, Ashok Ji was either among the first to reach there himself or among those guiding Karyakartas to help those affected. My own experience with him in the aftermath of the 2001 Kutch earthquake was unforgettable.”

The Prime Minister also wrote about how Mr. Singhal hailed from an illustrious and prosperous family. 

“His father, Shri Mahavir Ji, was a distinguished administrator,” Mr. Modi noted. “One of his brothers, Shri BP Singhal Ji, went on to become a police officer and later a Member of Parliament. Another brother, Shri VP Singhal Ji, was the Chief Secretary of Tripura when the State was just formed. Other family members succeeded in the world of commerce and agriculture.” 

However, Mr. Modi said, Mr. Singhal had another calling: “the revival of Bharat and bringing glory to Maa Bharti’s children”. 

“Growing up in Prayagraj, Ashok Ji would sit for hours on the banks of the Sangam,” Mr. Modi said. “The river naturally interested him, but so did the people who came, such as saints, seers and devotees. It nurtured an understanding of India’s cultural ethos and strengthened his intention to do something for society.” 

“This desire to live for others drew him to the RSS,” he added. “He embraced every responsibility that came his way with enthusiasm, discipline and a sense of duty.”

‘Legendary persona’

Mr. Modi cited two instances that “brought out the legendary persona” of Mr. Singhal. The first was during a convention in the U.S. organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in 1993 to mark 100 years since Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address. 

“The vision to host such a conference overseas, the planning and the bringing together of diverse stakeholders revealed the organisational genius of Ashok Ji,” Mr. Modi recalled.

The second was the World Hindu Conference in 2000 organised in Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago. 

“I could see how his presence ignited so much enthusiasm among other delegates,” Mr. Modi said. “After my address, his words of appreciation were a very moving experience for me. I saw yet again how his encouragement filled every Karyakarta with so much energy.” 

Ram Janmabhoomi movement

Mr. Modi also highlighted Mr. Singhal’s role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. “Who can forget his address at the Boat Club Rally in 1991?” he asked. “Or the defining image of an injured and bleeding Ashok Ji at the peak of the movement. Today, if there is a grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, it is because of stalwarts like him who selflessly immersed themselves in the effort to make it possible.” 

“He would have been the happiest person on seeing the Ram Mandir take shape in Ayodhya,” Mr. Modi wrote.

The Prime Minister also noted that Mr. Singhal’s beliefs that our society needs to be harmonious and that the message of brotherhood has to be reaffirmed were clearly visible. 

“It was his thought that the first brick of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya would be laid by Shri Kameshwar Choupal Ji, a grassroots VHP Karyakarta from Bihar who hailed from the marginalised sections of society,” Mr. Modi said. “At a Dharm Sansad in Kashi, he decided that the Dom Raja would be honoured and went on to work with him as part of various community efforts.”

Mr. Modi expressed hope that more youngsters would learn about Mr. Singhal on his birth centenary, and called for a renewed pledge to “realise his dreams for our nation and our people”.

Published – September 28, 2026 12:45 am IST

The two leaders also discussed new measures to further deepen the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

In this screengrab from a video posted on Aug. 29, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he boards the flight for Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in New Delhi. Photo: @NarendraModi/X via PTI Photo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed creating an aura around the private sector in space research so that people worldwide feel that if they want to make a career, they should go to India.

In an interaction with CEOs and founders of 20 space startups on Friday (August 21, 2026), Mr. Modi also highlighted India’s cost-competitiveness in launching space ventures.

He emphasised that the country’s vast talent pool and high risk-taking capacity would allow India to rapidly establish a dominant position in the global space sector, according to the transcript of the interaction, which was released on Sunday (August 23, 2026).

The Prime Minister said the world must now be looking for Indian startups – wondering who is leading in this space.

Because whenever a breakthrough happens, people’s attention shifts immediately, he said.

One of the CEOs told the Prime Minister that after India opened the space industry for private players, a very positive trend was observed and many Indian citizens living in the U.S. and Europe now want to return and work in the country.

In response, Mr. Modi said: “We need to connect with many people – people who went abroad are now returning. I believe we should create an aura where people worldwide feel that if they want to make a career, they should go to India.” He said such people from across the globe should feel that they should connect with a startup in India, connect with a space agency in India.

“I firmly believe that because of you, we can attract the entire talent pool like a magnet, and that can become a massive strength for us,” Mr. Modi said.

The Prime Minister appreciated the CEOs of space startups who showed courage by entering a new sector, and said the biggest factor was that they trusted the government’s word.

“My view has always been that whatever decision we make, we must remain consistent and avoid making frequent changes. This ensures that anyone willing to take a risk feels confident that while a mistake on their end might cause issues, no one will abandon them. Creating that trust was our effort,” he said.

Mr. Modi also said that India is highly competitive in terms of cost and there is no question about talent.

“We are very competitive on cost; there is no question at all about talent, and our people naturally have a higher risk-taking capacity anyway. Because of these, we can establish our place very rapidly,” he said.

The CEOs said India’s first space-tech unicorn, Skyroot Aerospace, successfully launched India’s first private rocket into orbit, and that was just the beginning.

By mid-2027, they are aiming for one launch per month, the CEOs said.

They thanked the prime minister for opening up the space sector for private players, saying so far, factories have been built with a capacity of one rocket per month.

They said this is just the beginning and the dream is to do one launch per week, and eventually several launches per day.

When Mr. Modi asked whether the investors have the confidence, one of the CEOs said that investor confidence has increased significantly after Skyroot’s first launch.

“That’s great,” Mr. Modi said and asked whether that route is proving useful to the space startups. To this, one of the CEOs said, “It is very useful.” The CEOs said their vision for the next 18 months is to establish a global ground station network.

Another CEO said that after a single launch, the company had received eight launch contracts in the last month, most of them international.

According to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office on Friday, Modi assured full government support to young space entrepreneurs and urged them to explore how space technology can be used in agriculture, livestock management, dairy, environment and other areas that affect people’s everyday lives.

The Prime Minister also hailed the CEOs for showing remarkable courage by entering a new and demanding domain of space startups as they have taken risks, trusted the reform process and remained consistent in their efforts.

He assured them of the government’s full support and called for greater collaboration between space companies and other sectors to expand the use of their technologies.

The startups part of the interaction included Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Dhruva Space, GalaxEye, PierSight, Bellatrix Aerospace, Digantara, SatSure, Suhora Technologies, Manastu Space, Astrobase, TakeMe2Space, VyomIC, Cosmoserve Space, OrbitAID Aerospace, SkyServe (Hyspace), Serendipity Space, Vassar Labs and mistEO.

The Prime Minister also greeted everyone on the occasion of National Space Day on Sunday (August 23, 2026).

“Happy National Space Day,” he said.

Mr. Modi also posted a video showing different aspects of India’s space research, innovations and success.

“Here’s to dreaming even bigger, innovating more and pushing newer frontiers…,” he said.

National Space Day is celebrated to commemorate the Chandrayaan-3 mission that accomplished a safe and soft landing of the Vikram Lander on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023.

Published – August 23, 2026 03:23 pm IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the media ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament in New Delhi
| Photo Credit: ANI

India is emerging as a “trusted partner” to the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday (June 18, 2026), underlining that the country is investing across various sectors that will drive growth, innovation, and opportunities for generations to come. 

Addressing the Indian diaspora in Paris, Mr. Modi also said that this is a defining period in India’s journey, where aspirations are reaching new heights. 

“There was a time when relations between countries were determined solely by trade, but today, trust has become just as important alongside trade,” Mr. Modi told the gathering at Salle Playel, one of the largest indoor venues in the French capital. 

“Every country wants a reliable supply chain. Every country wants a stable partnership. Every country is in search of such partners on whom trust can be placed for the long term, and at such a time, India is emerging as a trusted partner in the world,” the Prime Minister said. 

Reflecting upon the achievements of the diaspora, he pointed to World War II British Indian spy Noor Inayat Khan and a French General in Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s army. 

“Be it Indian-origin Noor Inayat Khan, who sacrificed her life for the French Resistance, or General Jean-François Allard, who worked with Maharaja Ranjit Singh, they are all symbols of a shared Indo-French heritage,” he said.  Highlighting that the people of India want to take their lives to the next level, he pointed to the Chandrayaan mission as an example of the country’s “aspirations”. 

“The world recognised this as a huge achievement, but India did not stop there. Today, the country is preparing for Gaganyaan, moving forward towards building its own space station,” he said. 

Amid loud cheers from the audience, Mr. Modi hailed the expanding footprint of UPI in France, which would give a boost to tourism flows between the two countries. 

On the trade front, he pointed to the progress made with the U.K. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) being enforced from next month and progress being made with the European Union (EU) talks, which will open up new opportunities for Indian workers, farmers, innovators and others.   

Mr. Modi said that at the G7 meeting in Evian, he emphasised the importance of partnerships based on trust.  “Bharat’s message to the G7 Summit was clear: global governance will only be effective when it is inclusive; global growth will be sustainable when it is shared; and technology will truly benefit humanity when it is trusted,” he said. 

Mr. Modi said that the world is experiencing a period of uncertainty and disruption. “In these challenging times, the partnership between France and India has become a strong pillar of trust, stability, and cooperation,” he said, noting that the two sides have elevated their relationship to the status of a Special Global Strategic Partnership. 

He said the two countries are launching the TRISHNA satellite next year. “This satellite will contribute to ensuring water and food security in the world,” he added. 

Mr. Modi said he arrived in France when his government had completed 12 years. “Serving the nation continuously for 12 years as the elected Prime Minister has been a great fortune of my life. This is the strength of India’s democracy, which has brought a tea seller to this position,” he said. 

Mr. Modi said that India has witnessed transformative growth across sectors in the last 12 years. “Beyond economic growth, India’s journey is about empowering people and transforming lives,” he added. 

He said that today’s story of India is not just the story of economic progress. “It is also the story of social transformation,” he said, adding that 25 crore people in the country have been lifted out of poverty in the last 12 years. 

“Today’s India and its youth are dreaming very big dreams. India’s farmers are moving forward with new possibilities. India’s women are demonstrating new leadership,” he said. 

“Fifty or a hundred years from today, when this era is reviewed, it will emerge that this era was driven by India’s aspirations. Today’s India is building the entire ecosystem of the future. India is investing in every sector that will shape the direction of the coming decades,” he added. 

Earlier, Mr. Modi was welcomed with the message “Bonjour Modi”, or hello Modi, and chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.

Published – June 19, 2026 07:36 am IST

The leaders of the world’s richest democracies are talking about how to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems this week, but hot mics at the G7 summit revealed that conversations also covered lighter fare. Sports. Cigarettes. The weather. And something about Greenland?

As world leaders made their way into conference rooms at a lakeside resort, microphones set up for their weighty discussions about war and trade often caught off-the-cuff banter.

Meloni quit smoking

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s smoking habits were the subject of a hot-mic moment on Tuesday (June 16, 2026). Asked by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz if she had already had a cigarette that morning, Ms. Meloni revealed that she hadn’t smoked “since the first of May.”

Her turn against tobacco prompted enthusiastic congratulations from leaders of Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and the European Union. Ms. Meloni raised her hands in celebration. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had a question for her.

“Do you have a patch?” Mr. Carney asked, grabbing his own arm.

Follow G7 Summit Day 2 LIVE updates

Sports talk includes ‘Allez les blues!’

With the World Cup underway in the United States, Mexico and Canada, football naturally became a fallback of discussion.

As leaders gathered for lunch, French President Emmanuel Macron and others weighed in. Someone shouted “Allez les bleus,” the cheer for the French team. Another leader can be heard talking about the recent Champions League victory by Paris-Saint Germain.

U.S. President Donald Trump turned attention to the UFC cage-match event he hosted at the White House on Sunday (June 14). Mr. Trump, who sat ringside on his 80th birthday, spoke glowingly about Dana White, the CEO of UFC.

At another point in the day, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer effused about Cape Verde’s surprise 0-0 draw against World Cup champion Spain. “Quite remarkable, I have to say,” he said.

Trump makes a cryptic Greenland reference

In a moment of intrigue, Mr. Trump was caught on microphone talking with European Council President António Costa.

“You understand?” Mr. Trump said before pausing and looking squarely at Mr. Costa. “Greenland.” The start and end of the conversation was unclear.

European politicians have been outraged by Mr. Trump’s threats to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark.

Macron loses track of time — literally

Later, Mr. Trump added some levity after Mr. Macron appeared to have left his watch behind when he departed the group’s working lunch. Mr. Carney drew attention to it, saying, “He’s left his watch here. We’ve got his watch.” “Give me it if he left, gimme,” Mr. Trump chimed in, drawing laughs from the group.

Trump gets a jersey for his birthday, and a bike

The day brought a few instances of gift-giving diplomacy.

Mr. Macron gave all seven of his counterparts personalised bicycles to promote the Cycling World Championships scheduled next year in the French Alps, according to David Lappartient, president of the Union Cycliste Internationale, on social media.

There was no hot mic moment to detect the reaction of Mr. Trump, who is not known to bike and has joked about doing minimal exercise beyond regular golf outings.

Mr. Merz, who recently sparred with Mr. Trump over the war in Iran, presented Mr. Trump with a German national team football jersey bearing Mr. Trump’s name and the number 47. Mr. Trump raised it and smiled for a photo before setting it aside.

Mr. Merz posted a photo of the exchange on social media and offered a pointed message: “After all, we’re on the same team.”

Published – June 17, 2026 10:35 am IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, in a joint op-ed across several news platforms on Wednesday (May 20, 2026), outlined an expanded roadmap for cooperation between the two countries across sectors, including trade, technology, energy, space, and security, against the backdrop of an emerging “Indo-Mediterranean” corridor.

“The relationship between India and Italy has now reached a decisive stage. In recent years, our ties have expanded with unprecedented momentum, evolving from a cordial friendship into a special strategic partnership grounded in the values of freedom and democracy, and a common vision for the future,” said Mr. Modi and Ms. Meloni in the op-ed titled “A Strategic Partnership for the Indo-Mediterranean”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, in a joint op-ed across several news platforms on Wednesday (May 20, 2026), outlined an expanded roadmap for cooperation between the two countries across sectors, including trade, technology, energy, space, and security, against the backdrop of an emerging “Indo-Mediterranean” corridor.

“The relationship between India and Italy has now reached a decisive stage. In recent years, our ties have expanded with unprecedented momentum, evolving from a cordial friendship into a special strategic partnership grounded in the values of freedom and democracy, and a common vision for the future,” said Mr. Modi and Ms. Meloni in the op-ed titled “A Strategic Partnership for the Indo-Mediterranean”.