From ‘nation first’ to ‘nari shakti’: PM Modi's powerful speech at HTLS 2025 | Top quotes

At HT Leadership Summit 2025, PM Modi said that amid a world of challenges and uncertainties, "India is appearing in a different league".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a powerful keynote address at the 23rd Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on Saturday and spoke on a range of subject matters, from India's growth rate to impact of 'colonial mindset' to woman power.

PM Modi, at HTLS 2025, also set a 10-year deadline for India to get to rid of the "colonial mindset".

The prime minister highlighted the growth of India, adding that today's reforms are now driven by the ‘nation first’ policy. He emphasised how India is shining in a world full of uncertainties.

PM Modi's impactful speech concluded the 23rd Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on Saturday, December 6. The 3-day summit, witnessed several dignitaries speaking about key issues surrounding this year's theme, “Transforming Tomorrow”. Along with the Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, actors Hugh Grant and Aamir Khan were among the dignitaries who graced the final day of HTLS.

PM Modi at HTLS 2025 | 6 key highlights

• India shining in a world of uncertainties: PM Modi pointed out how the world has seen several ups and downs, including financial crisis and a global pandemic, adding that such situations have challenged the world in one way or the other. "Today, the world is full of uncertainties, but amid this, our India is appearing in a different league,” PM Modi said at the Summit.
• India rising as growth driver of global economy: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took note of the release of India's GDP figures for Quarter 2. He said that the growth rate of 8 per cent "is a reflection of the new momentum of our progress". He further stated, "These are not just numbers. They are strong macroeconomic signals. They convey that India is rising as a key growth driver of the global economy today." He said that India is the "model of high growth and low inflation".
• 'Nari Shakti' in India: The prime minister highlighted the contribution of 'nari shakti' in the development of India and said, "Our daughters are making their mark in every field... transforming both the thinking and capabilities of the society... When obstacles are removed, new wings are also added to fly in the sky.”
• Reforms now driven by 'nation first': Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that positive changes in the tax structure and other such reforms, including the next-generation GST reform, are no longer "reactionary". He said, "Today's reforms are driven by the idea of nation first." He said that earlier big decisions regarding reforms were taken for some political interest or to manage a crisis, but now, "national growth is the driving factor". "In each sector, there is something improving. Our speed is constant, direction is consistent, and intent is nation first," PM Modi added.
• 'Hindu rate of growth': PM Modi condemned the linking of India's growth to the Hindu faith, citing it as an example of 'slave mentality'. He said that earlier, India's growth was abysmally low, "it was called the 'Hindu growth rate'. He asked whether "communalism" was not seen back then? "But does anybody in the world now call India's fast growth - Hindu rate of growth?" the PM added. “The slave mentality was so rampant that people sitting in the government started believing that weapons made in India were not strong. And this turned India into the world's largest arms importer,” PM Modi said.
• Need to get rid of colonial mindset: PM Modi set a 10-year deadline to get rid of the colonial mindset. At HTLS 2025, he said, "We have to make the country rid of the colonial mindset from every corner. I want to take the citizens forward with the vision for the next 10 years." Noting that India is completing 200 years of colonialism in 2035, the Prime Minister said the nation has ten years to get to that point. "And in these 10 years, we have to rid the country of this colonial mindset,” he added. His reference to the "mindset of slavery" comes from the 200th anniversary of Macaulay's education policy. Macaulay's Minute on Indian Education was established in 1835 during the British Raj by Thomas Babington Macaulay. He advocated for English as the sole medium of instruction in India under this policy, promoting Western science and literature, and creating a class of Indians "loyal to British interests". PM Modi, thus, reinforced the need to rid India of this 'colonial mindset'.