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From ‘Fragile 5’ to ‘Fabulous 5’, PM Modi propelled India’s economic transformation: Rajnath Singh
Noting that Modi has been discharging the responsibilities of constitutional offices with utmost dedication for the past 25 years, Rajnath Singh said “only half an innings has been played so far” and he still has decades to serve the country.
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Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said India’s economy was among the “Fragile Five” when Narendra Modi assumed office as prime minister in 2014 but was now among the “Fabulous Five” economies of the world. If the West Asia crisis had not arisen, India would have been among the world’s three fabulous economies by now, Singh said.
The defence minister was speaking at the launch of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan in Varanasi to mark Modi’s birthday and his 25 years in public life.
Rajnath Singh highlighted growth in defence production, saying it had “increased from around ₹40,000 crore before 2014 to more than ₹1.8 lakh crore, while defence exports had risen from around ₹600 crore to more than ₹40,000 crore”.
He claimed that the country had received more than USD 843 billion in foreign direct investment between 2014 and 2026.
“India was not taken seriously before. Today, whatever India says, the world listens attentively. PM Modi taught the people of India to be proud of their civilization and to believe in their capabilities. Where people’s thinking ends, Modi’s vision begins,” the defence minister said.
Noting that Modi has been discharging the responsibilities of constitutional offices with utmost dedication for the past 25 years, Singh said “only half an innings has been played so far” and he still has decades to serve the country.
He appealed to people to “turn on their mobile phone flashlights and congratulate the prime minister.”
Crediting Modi for taking India on a “new path” of development, Rajnath Singh said his legacy would not merely be what was recorded in government files but what remained in people’s memories and emotions, and cited the removal of Article 370, efforts against Naxalism, poverty alleviation, women’s representation in Parliament and evacuation of Indians from conflict zones as the issues that, according to him, would figure in that legacy.
The defence minister further said, “When the 2001 earthquake struck Gujarat, there were many concerns about the situation. There were questions about how Gujarat would stand on its own feet. But Modi not only transformed the situation, but also transformed it from a Test match to an ODI. Where others see problems, our Prime Minister sees solutions. This quality of his is moving the country forward.”
Commenting on the Varanasi to Vadnagar and the Vadnagar to Varanasi yatras, Singh said, “The divinity of Kashi is going to Gujarat. The faith of Gujarat is coming to Kashi. This journey between the birthplace and the land of work is remarkable. This journey involves not just an exchange of water, but also an exchange of emotions. The milestones of this journey are as important as the destination.”
“Today’s bike rally serves to connect the prime minister’s workplace with his birthplace, uniting a *triveni* (confluence) of Vadnagar’s values, Kashi’s spirit of service, and the dedication of the journey itself. The initiative involves symbolically nourishing the birthplace with water from the workplace and vice versa. The rally also aims to foster dialogue with the people and encourage collective participation in development,” he said.
“Twelve years ago when Modi took oath (as PM) for the first time, no one had imagined that the coming decade would be like this. Before 2014, India used to let go of opportunities. From mobile phones to Brahmos missiles, everything runs on chips, but at that time there was a Congress government, they did not give permission, a company went bankrupt, a factory could not be set up. Business worth crores went out of the country. We lost a huge employment opportunity. When the prime minister started talking about semiconductors, many questions were asked. But, under the leadership of Modi ji, last year for the first time, we made the country’s first semiconductor chip, that is, Made in India,” Singh said.
Modi has demonstrated to the world that India possesses world-class technology, Rajnath Singh said, adding that “where there is a will, there is a way”—this is the true power of leadership.
He credited the Mudra scheme with helping small entrepreneurs stand on their feet, Startup India with giving young people confidence in their business ideas and Skill India with taking the youth of Indian youth to the global stage. He said more than three crore women had become “Lakhpati Didis”.
“Efforts have been made to integrate with global markets; products like silk from Kashi and black rice from Chandauli have gained global recognition. Today, the prime minister presents indigenous products as gifts on the global stage. Twelve years ago, no one imagined that the coming decade would propel India so far forward globally; all this has been made possible through the prime minister’s efforts,” Singh said.
“A comparison of India before and after 2014 reveals this transformation. Today, the youth are using 5G internet. The prime minister has never viewed power merely as a position of authority,” he said.
Singh said Modi’s approach was to see solutions and possibilities where others saw problems. He cited the ‘One District One Product’ initiative as an example of efforts to take local crafts, agricultural products and traditional industries to national and international markets.
