E-Paper
After India-US trade deal, PM Modi hails 'political stability' for surge in investor trust
Modi said that India had negotiated trade pacts from a position of strength.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke about the spate of trade deals India has signed with multiple countries, including the United States and European Union.
In an interview with PTI news agency, PM Modi hailed the political predictability in the country, saying it restored the confidence of investors.
"We have a young and increasingly skilled population; and we are focusing on strong growth accompanied by low inflation and macroeconomic stability. Our youth are creating waves in fields as diverse as space, sports and startups. We have ensured political stability and a reform-oriented policy environment," the prime minister said.
On signing free trade agreements with 38 countries, Modi said that India had negotiated these from a position of strength owing to stronger manufacturing, services and MSMEs. PM Modi said that these FTAs had been designed to expand market access for MSMEs in textile, leather, chemicals, handicrafts, gems and other sectors.
The Prime Minister also launched criticism against the previous UPA-led government, saying that during their term, talks would begin and then breakdown, PTI reported. Modi said that little real substance was achieved at that time despite long negotiations.
PM Modi names three reform priorities for next decade
PM Modi also listed three reform priorities for the Centre over the next decade. These, he said, were:
• More structural reforms
• Deeper innovation
• Simpler governance
The Prime Minister said that while his government's ‘Reform Express’ had achieved a massive scale of progress, he is “by temperament…never fully satisfied”, PTI reported.
In this context, PM Modi said fundamental reforms in how people transact via UPI platforms had made India a digital leader in the world. He told PTI that the country was also laying down the foundation for building a thriving AI (artificial intelligence) ecosystem by expanding computing power and data centre infra capacity.
Women will play most important role in building Viksit Bharat: PM Modi
PM Modi expressed conviction that women would play the most important role in the creation of Viksit Bharat. He further said that the welfare of women guides every decision made by the Centre.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the Budget, specifically defence Budget, and modernisation. He said that the Budget was not a “now or never” moment born out of compulsion, but a “we are ready” moment born out of preparation.
Also Read | Can Budget 2026 turn enterprise policy into jobs for Viksit Bharat?
He told PTI that none of the budgets presented by the NDA government were run-of-the-mill ‘bahi khata’ documents, adding that this was not their approach. On the defence budget, he said that India had to be strong and prepared at all times, and was working towards achieving that.
The Prime Minister said that the government has a duty to modernise the defence sector in accordance with the current realities, PTI reported.
