Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday addressed the News18 Rising Bharat Summit, laying out a vision of a self-reliant “Aatmanirbhar” India while also sharply criticising the political opposition. He tied the summit’s theme of “strength within” to what he called India’s rediscovery of its inherent capabilities over the past 11 years, invoking the Vedic phrase “Tat Tvam Asi” to say the power the nation seeks “already lies within its people” and must be recognised and strengthened.
Modi argued that national strength grows over generations through knowledge, tradition and hard work, and that centuries of colonial rule left a lingering sense of inferiority. “We used to copy foreign technology and wait for foreign validation,” he said, calling that mindset a continued form of mental subjugation. He contrasted that past “policy paralysis” with the current era, asking rhetorically who would strike trade deals with India if the country had remained pessimistic and inward-looking.
Pointing to ongoing trade negotiations, Modi said developed countries are now approaching India for agreements, a shift he attributed to what he called an “Aatmavishwaasi Bharat” — a self-confident nation negotiating from strength. He credited economic reforms for strengthening the banking system, bringing down double-digit inflation and positioning India as a global growth engine.
On digital transformation, the prime minister highlighted the integration of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and mobile platforms and said the system enabled direct benefit transfers totalling Rs 24 lakh crore. He asked how India, where ATMs arrived later than in developed countries, achieved global leadership in digital payments and said the world is “amazed” by India’s Digital Public Infrastructure.
Modi also cited infrastructure gains — metro expansion and semi-high-speed trains such as Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat — and progress in renewable energy, noting India’s leading role in solar capacity. He said India has moved from being a consumer of technology to a creator, pointing to its growing role in artificial intelligence and an expanding AI startup ecosystem.
Turning to politics, Modi devoted significant time to the recent AI Summit, calling it a moment of “immense national pride” and accusing the Congress party of trying to politicise the event. He said the “country’s oldest party” showed its “ideological bankruptcy” by disrupting proceedings and embarrassing the nation in front of foreign guests, and criticised what he described as the party’s “blind opposition” to initiatives such as the abrogation of Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, women’s reservation, UPI and the new Parliament building.
Defending the government’s long-term roadmap for a developed India by 2047, Modi urged foresight, excellence and innovation, saying India must convert capacity into performance and deliver world-class products and solutions as it seeks to take the country to new heights.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/rising-bharat-summit-pm-modi-outlines-vision-for-aatmanirbhar-india-slams-congress-for-politicising-ai-summit-13984527.html
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Publish Date: 2026-02-28 00:42:00
