Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday shared glimpses of his metro journey to and from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), a day after attending the institution’s centenary celebrations, where he recalled his 2013 address and highlighted what he described as India’s transformation over the past decade.
Sharing a video of his metro journey on X, PM Modi said, “Metro moments… Conversations during last evening’s journey to SRCC and back.”
Addressing the centenary celebrations on Saturday, PM Modi paid tribute to SRCC founder Sir Shri Ram and said the institution’s 100-year journey had shaped generations of students and produced alumni who had made their mark across diverse fields.
Recalling his 2013 address at SRCC, when he was Gujarat Chief Minister and a member of the Opposition, PM Modi said he had chosen to present a positive vision for the country rather than use the platform to attack the government of the day. He said the ideas and aspirations expressed during that speech had remained central to his approach to public service.
PM Modi recalled his “half-full, half-empty” analogy from the 2013 speech, saying he had urged people to view India as a glass that was completely full – half with water and half with air – even at a time when the country was facing economic and governance challenges.
Contrasting the situation in 2013 with the present, the Prime Minister highlighted India’s recent economic performance, citing 7.8 per cent quarterly growth amid geopolitical tensions and trade-related challenges. He also pointed to increases in electricity production, vehicle sales and steel and cement consumption as indicators of economic and industrial activity.
He said India’s progress reflected a shift from what was earlier described as policy paralysis to greater policy dynamism and asserted that the country had moved from being counted among the “Fragile Five” to becoming the world’s fastest-growing major economy.
Referring to his 2013 emphasis on Pro-People Good Governance (P2G2), PM Modi cited the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana as an example of proactive policymaking. He said nearly 60 crore new bank accounts had been opened over the past 12 years, bringing almost every family into the formal banking system and laying the foundation for India’s fintech expansion.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the growth of domestic manufacturing, particularly in mobile phones and defence. He said India, which was largely dependent on imports for mobile phones in 2014, now exports smartphones worth more than ₹2.5 lakh crore.
In the defence sector, PM Modi said domestic production had reached nearly ₹2 lakh crore, while defence exports had risen from around ₹600-700 crore in 2013-14 to nearly ₹40,000 crore.
Emphasising his government’s focus on setting ambitious targets, PM Modi said India was working towards becoming a global manufacturing hub, a centre for research and innovation and a major agricultural export power. He also reiterated the country’s ambition to establish its own space station and host the Olympic Games.
Addressing students, PM Modi urged them to maintain an ambitious outlook and pursue opportunities in emerging sectors such as startups, artificial intelligence, drones, agriculture and space. He also challenged young entrepreneurs to build Indian companies capable of becoming global leaders.
The Prime Minister highlighted the pace of infrastructure development and policy implementation, citing railway electrification as an example. He said less than 30 per cent of railway lines had been electrified by 2014, whereas nearly complete electrification had been achieved over the subsequent 12 years.
He also pointed to India’s growing network of trade agreements, saying such partnerships were opening new markets for Indian products and creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs and businesses.
Recalling the challenges faced by India over the past decade, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, disruptions to global supply chains and the West Asia crisis, PM Modi said the country had demonstrated resilience and continued to progress despite successive global shocks.
Drawing on the SRCC crest featuring a rising sun and a ship sailing forward, PM Modi called on students to embrace the spirit of self-reliance and contribute to the building of a developed India.
“Now is the time to set big goals and achieve them,” he said, urging the youth to convert their ambitions into concrete achievements and help realise the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
