Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on 10 June 2025 congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru's record to become India's longest-serving elected Prime Minister, marking 4,399 days in office. Rijiju described the milestone as historic and said it reflected both political stability and a sweeping national transformation over the past 12 years.

A Historic Milestone

Prime Minister Narendra Modi crossed the 4,399-day mark in office on Wednesday, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure to become the longest-serving elected Prime Minister in India's history. Modi first assumed office in May 2014 and subsequently secured consecutive mandates in 2019 and 2024.

What Rijiju Said

'Today is a historic day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completed 4,399 days as the elected Prime Minister. It is a matter of great fortune for him to complete the longest tenure. The bigger thing than this is that other prime ministers were also there, but during PM Modi's tenure India is taking its first step towards Viksit Bharat. For so many years, we were considered a poor nation, but after 2014 the aim of Viksit Bharat was brought forward, and by 2047 India is going to be a developed nation,' Rijiju said.

The minister further emphasised the government's impact on ordinary citizens: 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed the lives of people, including ordinary citizens, the poor, and the common man. Their lives have improved significantly. Over the past 12 years, the lives of many people have changed.'

Comparing Eras: Rijiju's Argument

Rijiju argued that comparisons between Modi and previous Prime Ministers were not appropriate, contending that the current Prime Minister had ushered in a distinct era centred on development and long-term national goals. 'It is not appropriate to compare Prime Minister Narendra Modi with anyone else. When Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru became Prime Minister, he was not elected but was selected by Mahatma Gandhi and appointed as Prime Minister,' he said.

He added that successive Congress-era governments, despite repeated electoral victories, had failed to deliver visible development. Critics from the opposition, however, are likely to contest this characterisation, pointing to foundational institution-building and industrialisation efforts of the post-Independence decades.

The Viksit Bharat Vision

Central to Rijiju's remarks was the Viksit Bharat (Developed India) framework — the Modi government's stated goal of elevating India to developed-nation status by 2047, coinciding with the centenary of Independence. This vision has underpinned major policy drives across infrastructure, digital public goods, and social welfare over the past decade. This comes amid ongoing debates about the pace and equity of that transformation, with independent analysts noting that while key indicators such as digital inclusion and infrastructure spending have improved, challenges around employment quality and income inequality persist.

What Comes Next

With the Modi government now in its third consecutive term, the Viksit Bharat 2047 agenda is expected to intensify focus on manufacturing, green energy, and social infrastructure. The record tenure milestone is likely to sharpen both the ruling party's political messaging and opposition scrutiny of governance outcomes in the years ahead.