Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 22 June declared that the world now recognises India as a reliable global power, citing the country's economic momentum, civilisational depth, and a decade-plus of policy consistency under the 'Nation First' principle. Speaking at a media event in New Delhi, Modi framed India's rise not as a recent phenomenon but as the fulfilment of a civilisational trajectory stretching millennia.

India as a Reliable and Credible Power

Modi said: 'Bharat is a fast-growing economy, a credible economy, and along with being among the rising powers, Bharat is also a reliable power.' He went further, positioning India's civilisational memory as its most durable guarantee to the world — 'India today is writing the future of the next 1,000 years,' he stated. The remarks carry diplomatic weight coming days after his participation in the G7 summit in France, where he said every world leader clearly understood that 'Nation First' is India's defining principle.

12 Years of Reform: The 'Nation First' Record

Modi pointed to 12 years of governance milestones as evidence of this philosophy in action. He cited the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Make in India, the promotion of Khadi purchases, and encouragement of local products as initiatives that succeeded because citizens placed national interest above personal convenience. 'I salute the citizens of the country,' he said, crediting public participation as the engine behind policy outcomes.

Infrastructure Push and Middle-Class Relief

The Prime Minister highlighted a significant expansion in highways, railways, and civil aviation over the past 12 years, describing the cumulative effect as a 'radical change' in national connectivity. On household economics, he underscored the income tax exemption on annual earnings up to ₹12 lakh, alongside access to affordable medicines and medical insurance as measures that have eased the financial burden on middle-class families.

Reforms Express and the Viksit Bharat Vision

Modi said India has boarded what he called the 'Reforms Express', pledging that the pace would accelerate as the government deepens its 'India First approach' toward the goal of Viksit Bharat — a fully developed India. He described India as a civilisation that has endured both development and destruction without losing its positive orientation, arguing that this mindset has been the most effective driver of sustained growth. The remarks signal that the government intends to frame its remaining term around a continuation — and intensification — of existing reform trajectories rather than a policy pivot.