Kashmir Impulse Desk
New Delhi, Oct 07
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday marked 25 years at the helm of government with a call for Indians to adopt a new slogan – ‘We Will Do It’ – as the country pursues its goal of becoming a developed economy by 2047.
Addressing a gathering in New Delhi, Modi said the target could be achieved through long-term policies, hard work and the collective efforts of India’s 1.4 billion people.
He said divisions based on electoral considerations remained among the country’s biggest challenges, arguing that common problems required common solutions.
“When a farmer’s field lacks water, does the problem affect only one caste?” Modi said. “If the problem belongs to everyone, the solution must be for everyone.”
He said India had the potential to achieve a series of ambitious goals, including becoming a top-three global economy, attaining self-reliance, emerging as a manufacturing hub and hosting the Olympics.
“Viksit Bharat by 2047: We Will Do It,” he said, repeating the slogan while listing the targets.
Modi highlighted what he described as major achievements during his years in office, including lifting 25 crore people out of poverty over the past decade.
He said India’s transformation was already visible and expressed confidence in the country’s ability to overcome future challenges.
Referring to Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, who, according to Modi, prevented his co-pilot from crashing an Israel-bound flight despite being stabbed, the prime minister said India could eventually produce aircraft that would draw global attention.
“These goals will be achieved through visionary policies and relentless hard work,” Modi said. “India may have challenges, but we also have 140 crore solutions.”
Modi became chief minister of Gujarat on Oct 7, 2001, and went on to serve three terms before becoming prime minister after the Bharatiya Janata Party won the 2014 general election. He has since won two further national elections.
Recalling his first oath as Gujarat chief minister, Modi said he had never imagined reaching such a milestone.
He thanked voters, BJP workers, members of the National Democratic Alliance and supporters of democracy, saying critics had also helped him by forcing him to reflect on his work.
