PM Narendra Modi: Energy investments helped withstand West Asia war impact

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated projects worth more than ₹15,600 crore in Karnataka, including a Bengaluru Metro extension and energy infrastructure.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said investments in energy security over the past decade helped India withstand disruptions caused by the war involving Iran and Gulf countries, as he inaugurated infrastructure projects worth more than ₹15,600 crore in Karnataka.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s renewable energy capacity had crossed 300 gigawatts (PMO)

Speaking at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), Modi said India expanded domestic fuel production, developed crude oil storage facilities and increased solar, hydro and wind power generation. “War around Iran and Gulf countries shows how important energy security is. Steps taken for energy security in the last decade helped the country face the crisis with resilience,” he said.

Bengaluru Metro Expansion

Earlier, Modi inaugurated a new section of Bengaluru’s Metro network, taking its operational length beyond 100 km.

At SG Palya station, Modi called Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar, who was standing some distance away, to join him for the inauguration. He took Shivakumar by the hand and brought him alongside before the two leaders waved the green flag. Modi subsequently handed the flag to Governor Sudha Yadav.

Modi then bought a ticket at the station counter and boarded a train to IIM Bangalore station, accompanied by Shivakumar, state minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Surya.

During the journey, he spoke with Gowda and was seen laughing with Shivakumar.

Energy Projects and Renewable Power

Later in the day, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of infrastructure projects, including critical energy assets which he said is expected to strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure.

An LPG facility in Mangaluru will add 80,000 metric tonnes to India’s storage capacity, and the Devangonthi marketing terminal will improve the supply of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel. A compressed biogas plant in Bengaluru will produce around 13 tonnes of biogas a day, besides improving waste management and reducing natural gas imports, he said.

Modi said India’s renewable energy capacity had crossed 300 gigawatts. More than six million households had installed rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, including over 40,000 in Karnataka, he said.

The Centre had provided around ₹80,000 in assistance to each household, he added.

Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, more than 800,000 solar pumps were supporting irrigation in Karnataka. “This means that Karnataka’s food providers are now also becoming energy providers. These schemes are reducing electricity costs and creating new income and employment opportunities,” he said.

The Middle Class as an Engine of Growth

Modi also described the expanding middle class and a new aspirational section of society as major drivers of economic growth. Their demand for consumer goods, better education, health care and travel was creating opportunities across industries, he said. “From automobiles to electronics, from tourism to the service sector, new industries, factories and employment opportunities are emerging. In other words, this neo-middle class is becoming a major engine of growth for India’s economy,” he said.

Space Technology and Everyday Applications

At a later address at the COSMOS Planetarium in Mysuru, Modi said India’s advances in space exploration and scientific research were increasingly finding applications in everyday life.

“Today, technology is rapidly changing the world. And no country can afford to slow down. In the past decade, India has progressed at an unprecedented pace in astronomy, astrophysics and the space sector,” he said.

Modi said opening up the space sector had created opportunities for private companies and startups. “Our government opened up the space sector. This has created new opportunities for the private sector. Indian startups have also had the opportunity to showcase their capabilities. Today, our youth are launching their own rockets, putting satellites into orbit, and accomplishing many things in the space sector that have never been done before in India,” he said.

He said satellite technology was being used to send storm warnings to fishing boats and track their safe return, monitor train movements and support agricultural insurance. Satellite data was used under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to estimate crop yields and determine farmers’ insurance claims.

“This means that today our satellites are reaching the heights of space, and at the same time, they are being used to improve the lives of people on Earth,” Modi said.