The Youthful Promise of a Viksit Bharat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s story and leadership are already etched into history as one of the most consequential chapters of modern India. In 2014, he assumed office with the largest democratic mandate in over three decades—the first time since 1984 that a single party crossed the halfway mark in Parliament. With the promise of “Achhe Din Aa Rahe Hain,” he offered transformation and purpose—and he delivered. In 2019, the people renewed their trust with an even greater mandate, and in 2024, India witnessed only the second time in its history that a Prime Minister returned for a third consecutive term. In the democratic world, few leaders have enjoyed such sustained faith, and fewer still have reshaped their nation as profoundly.

His journey mirrors the resilience of India itself. Born into modest circumstances, he worked at a tea stall as a child, learning hardship first-hand and connecting with people in their everyday language. He refined his ability to communicate through daily exchanges with ordinary citizens. As a young man, he travelled the length and breadth of the country in organisational roles, directly meeting lakhs of people and absorbing India’s diversity at the grassroots. He took part in the underground resistance to the Emergency and later gained unmatched administrative experience as Chief Minister of Gujarat—an industrial powerhouse and a critical border state. By the time he came to Delhi, he embodied both the instincts of a grassroots organiser and the discipline of a capable administrator.

He arrived with a clear mantra: reform, perform and transform. In the eleven years since, India has been altered in ways few imagined. In 2014, it was described globally as part of the “fragile five.” Today, it is the fastest-growing major economy in the world. The size of the economy has more than doubled and is expected within the next three years to touch five trillion dollars, placing India as the third-largest economy. Across every sector, capacities have been created at an unprecedented pace. Infrastructure, industry, defence, energy, digital capacity and social schemes have all expanded in a manner that prepares the next generation to lead India into the ranks of developed nations.

Growth, however, has not stood alone. Redistribution and empowerment have taken place on a scale without precedent. More than seven crore houses have been constructed for the poor. Over twelve crore households have received tap-water connections. Fifty crore people are covered by the Ayushman Bharat health-protection scheme. Twenty-five crore citizens have been lifted out of poverty in just over a decade. Hundreds of schemes have ensured that the benefits of growth reach the last mile, fulfilling the spirit of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas.” This inclusive model has restored confidence in democracy as a system that can deliver empowerment as well as aspiration.

Alongside this, “Atmanirbhar Bharat” has been a call to self-reliance in critical sectors. India today produces its own vaccines and shared them with more than one hundred countries during the pandemic, while also exporting pharmaceutical products to one hundred and fifty nations. It became the first country to land at the south pole of the moon. It has built and operates its own aircraft carrier. It has launched mission projects in semiconductors, aerospace and advanced defence technologies, including next-generation fighter jets. Already, it exports defence equipment to eighty-five countries—a testament to rising manufacturing strength. This amalgamation of domestic capability and global engagement has enabled India to emerge as a major pole in an increasingly multipolar world.

Perhaps the greatest story of the last decade, however, has been the empowerment of India’s youth. The Prime Minister has consistently spoken of the four pillars of a strong society: the poor, the farmer, the woman and the youth. Among these, the youth hold a unique place because they embody the energy and imagination that will define the next century. India is one of the youngest nations in the world, with a median age of twenty-eight, and youth empowerment has been placed at the heart of national transformation.

The Mera Yuva Bharat platform has been designed to channel youth energy into nation-building by engaging them directly, including an ambitious plan to bring one lakh first-time entrants with no political lineage into public life. This democratisation of politics offers a model of inclusivity that can inspire governance globally. The Skill India Mission, launched in 2015, has trained over ten million youth in vocational and industrial skills. By enhancing employability at home and creating pathways for mobility abroad, it has equipped a generation to thrive in a globalised economy.

The Startup India initiative has unleashed the entrepreneurial spirit of the young. In less than a decade, more than one hundred thousand startups have emerged, including in regions like the Northeast that had once been overlooked. India today hosts the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world, with new unicorns born regularly and Indian youth holding their own in global entrepreneurship networks. Digital India has connected millions of young citizens to online opportunities, extending connectivity even to the remotest villages and enabling young Indians to participate in the digital economy with confidence and skill.

The Atal Innovation Mission has seeded tinkering labs and incubators across the country, nurturing problem-solvers from school level upwards. Indian students today win global hackathons, excel in frontier research and contribute to international technological progress. The Khelo India Youth Games have created a pipeline of athletes who compete internationally and elevate India’s position in global sports diplomacy. The government’s preparations for the 2036 Olympics, including the creation of advanced training centres, underline the ambition to convert raw talent into medals and recognition at the highest level.

Education reform has been another foundation stone. The National Education Policy of 2020 marks a generational shift towards holistic development, skill-building and global research collaborations. Large investments in educational infrastructure are laying the groundwork for India to become a knowledge exporter. At the same time, Make in India and Stand Up India have broadened opportunities for young entrepreneurs and job creators—particularly among marginalised communities. Together, these measures are equipping India’s youth not just to participate but to lead in a rapidly changing world.

As India moves towards 2047, the centenary of independence, the role of youth will only grow more decisive. The Prime Minister’s vision is of a fully developed Viksit Bharat that stands as a prominent pole in a multipolar world. This is not a distant aspiration but a roadmap under active implementation. The youth of India are no longer passive recipients of development but active participants and leaders of the national project. In politics, science, entrepreneurship, sports and culture, they are shaping a self-reliant and confident India that is respected across the world.

India’s rising global voice was evident during the G20, when Prime Minister Modi personally pushed for the integration of the African Union into the grouping. The continent of more than a billion people, with a median age of eighteen, will be one of the key engines of the global economy in the coming decades. India’s gesture symbolised a vision of partnership among youthful nations and offered a template for shared growth in the Global South.

On the eve of his seventy-fifth birthday, as the nation reflects on his journey, it is clear that the legacy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not only the transformation he has brought but the vision of self-reliance and confidence he has instilled in India’s 140 crore citizens. By giving young Indians the skills, platforms and belief to lead, he has ensured that the next three decades and beyond will belong to them. His life story endures as an inspiration of grit, resilience and service. His vision is a promise that India’s youth are called upon to fulfil. His leadership has laid the foundations for a nation that, by 2047, will stand tall as a fully developed Viksit Bharat and a guiding light in a new global order.

Anil K. Antony is a National Secretary and National Spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party.