New Delhi [India], June 11 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that no decision is difficult with the spirit of 'nation first', the country is racing ahead aboard the 'reform express' and called for further accelerating the pace of progress to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Addressing a meeting of NDA leaders who greeted him for becoming the longest-serving elected Prime Minister of the country, PM Modi said that India must excel in futuristic technology and states should have healthy competition to become the fastest trillion-dollar economy. He said the day is not far when India will also manufacture 'Made in India' civil aircraft.

He said the past 12 years of the NDA government have been a celebration of the partnership between the government and society. The Prime Minister said that the benchmark now should be how to scale up and expand the speed and scope maintained over the past 12 years.

He said when the NDA won in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he had remarked that a new hope had dawned for the common citizen of the country and it is 'our collective responsibility to nurture and uphold this hope'.

The Prime Minister called for accelerating the pace of work and called for considering global parameters, global competition, and a global perspective.

He said India's share in global growth is steadily rising and the world views India as a trusted partner in the global supply chain.

'We must look ahead. Keeping the goal of 2047 in sight, we need to further accelerate our pace to achieve it. Our benchmark now should be how to scale up and expand the speed and scope we have maintained over the past 12 years. Today, India's share in global growth is steadily rising; therefore, India must now consider global parameters, global competition, and a global perspective,' he said.

'The world seeks solutions from India. The world views India as a trusted partner in the global supply chain, and we must live up to these global expectations. We cannot afford to lose this time; as I have repeatedly said, this is the moment--the right time,' he added.

PM Modi said the country is now reaping the benefits of the ecosystem that India began building ten to twelve years ago and is rapidly moving towards becoming a global manufacturing and pharmaceutical hub.

PM Modi said his government is focusing so heavily on the semiconductor ecosystem and working on a mission mode regarding critical minerals

'The country is now reaping the benefits of the ecosystem that India began building ten to twelve years ago... India is rapidly moving towards becoming a global manufacturing and pharmaceutical hub. Sectors and technologies such as energy, minerals, chips, battery storage, space, drones, data centres, quantum computing, and Artificial Intelligence are all interconnected; they complement one another,' he said.

'India cannot rely on foreign nations for these, as they are linked to every aspect of the country's economic and strategic security. That is precisely why India is focusing so heavily on the semiconductor ecosystem and working on a mission mode regarding critical minerals,' he added.

The Prime Minister said that people of the country understood the importance of political stability at the national level.

'It is a testament to the maturity of the people, the ultimate sovereigns, that they have given me the opportunity to serve them for such a long time. The decades preceding 2014 were marked by significant instability and turmoil, causing the country to suffer greatly,' he said.

'However, the people are now witnessing the performance of a stable government and appreciating its decisive capabilities. Today, I bow to the great people of this nation and express my gratitude to them,' he added.

The Prime Minister said India is marching ahead towards energy self-reliance.

'We must excel in futuristic technology. We should not merely emulate the world; we must stay a step ahead. Take energy security, for instance. Over the past 12 years, we have undertaken unprecedented work to achieve energy self-reliance. I had announced the 'Samudra Manthan' campaign from the Red Fort; it is a highly ambitious mission. Recently, we have received very positive news regarding oil and gas exploration. This means the future is brimming with possibilities, and we must fully capitalise on every one of them. We must now meet the target of 500 gigawatts of renewable energy as soon as possible,' he said.

'While work on solar energy is progressing rapidly, we must now also accelerate the achievement of our nuclear energy goals. We have demonstrated to the world just how far India has advanced in fast breeder reactor technology. This technology will lead us toward self-reliance in nuclear energy. India is making rapid strides in the fields of green hydrogen and green ammonia. In the near future, these technologies will establish India as a key player on the global green energy map, and that recognition is certain. Even leading experts today acknowledge that countries which worked on their entire manufacturing ecosystem during the 1980s and 1990s began reaping the benefits in this century,' he added.

The Prime Minister said India is advancing towards new goals of self-reliance in the shipping sector. 'We are moving towards a future where we will conduct trade using 'Made in India' ships and containers. India will provide services ranging from ship maintenance and repair to scrapping. We hold the same vision for our aviation sector. Today, we are manufacturing 'Made in India' transport aircraft. The day is not far when India will also manufacture 'Made in India' civil aircraft, and our citizens will travel in them; I foresee that day coming,' he said.

PM Modi said people have supported initiatives of the BJP-led government and lend support to his appeals.

'These twelve years have been a celebration of the partnership between the government and society. Over the past twelve years, whenever I sought the country's cooperation, the citizens supported me wholeheartedly. When I called for cleanliness, the entire nation stepped forward. When I urged the country to adopt digital payments, India surged ahead to lead the world in real-time transactions. When I appealed for unity and restraint during the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation stood united to face the crisis. The people have never let us down,' he said.

PM Modi said this century belongs to technology and data.

'Today, some of the world's largest and most modern data centres are being built in India. These will serve as a strong pillar for India's global supply and value chains. Through UPI, we have demonstrated to the world how rapidly India can scale up technology. We have showcased the immense potential of our youth. Now, our young people are moving forward with the determination to make a significant impact in AI, deep tech, and advanced technologies.'

He said in the times to come, the entire world will witness India's prowess in two more sectors - tourism and sports.

'Both these sectors will become strong pillars of India's economy. India is gearing up to become a global destination, particularly for conferences, exhibitions, and concerts. Modern infrastructure will provide a significant boost to this sector. As for sports, India's youth are delivering remarkable performances, and their skills are improving day by day. India is emerging as a hub for the world's biggest sports leagues,' he said.

'Our preparations for the Olympics also reflect Indian aspirations. We must not think small; we must set high goals and put our heart and soul into achieving them. Today India is racing ahead aboard the 'Reform Express.' For us, reform is not a compulsion; it is our conviction. And the country, too, is consistently supporting these,' he added.

He said that prior to 2014, the middle class often bore the brunt of legal and bureaucratic tangles but his government understood the struggles of middle class.

'A complex tax system, limited income sources, a heavy tax burden, and the impact of poor governance were daily challenges for the common citizen. However, we understood the struggles and aspirations of the middle class; that is why, today, income up to Rs 12 lakh is completely tax-free. The country now boasts a simplified tax system, and a robust infrastructure has made life easier. Over the past 12 years, new opportunities have emerged across various sectors for the children of middle-class families,' he said.

'The government is also helping to fulfil the dream of home ownership for the middle class. To alleviate the financial burden of medical treatment, the Ayushman Bharat scheme has been expanded to include the elderly, regardless of income limits. The middle class has also benefited immensely from GST reforms; health insurance has become more affordable, as have the goods and services linked to their dreams. The result of these efforts is that the country's middle class is now breaking free from uncertainty and propelling the nation's development journey with immense self-confidence,' he added.

He said that the government had taken decisive against cross-border terrorism and referred to surgical strikes, air strikes and Operation Sindoor.

'For us, if there is anything greater than party, it is our country. When we work with the spirit of 'nation first', no decision is difficult. Therefore, decisions that were previously considered impossible, but essential for the country's secure future, we took them with great precision. Previously, governments were afraid to even discuss Article 370. We abolished it and implemented a single Constitution across the country. Previously, bombs, guns, and blockades were indispensable in the Northeast,' he said.

'We restored peace and stability to the Northeast. Previously, India silently suffered after terrorist attacks. We carried out surgical strikes and air strikes against terrorists. The world witnessed India's strength in Operation Sindoor. It was previously assumed that Naxalism and Maoism would never end, and could never end. We have freed the country from the poison of Naxalism and Maoism..reservation for women, the law against triple talaq, the CAA, the Indian Penal Code, one rank-one pension for soldiers,' he added.

PM Modi said NDA government has not shied away from taking any action in the national interest, and we are all proud of this.

'Today, I will reassure the nation again that this series of major decisions in the national interest will accelerate even further. We will move forward at a rapid pace. The world is seeing what the country has achieved in the last 12 years. But now we need to change our vision,' he said.

'We must continue to move forward with this same public trust and public participation. 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas' has been our guiding mantra. The collective effort of all is the true driving force behind building a Viksit Bharat. We need to connect every state, every city, and every village. The time has come for a new kind of healthy competition among states, a competition to see which state becomes a trillion-dollar economy the fastest, which city emerges as the greatest hub of innovation, and which region leads the way in job creation,' he said

PM Modi said India's progress hinges on such progress across the states.

'Let us make the coming decade one of excellence alongside achievement. Let us rise above political rivalry and make the competition for development a national ethos. The journey of the past twelve years has been marked by achievements; the years ahead will bring even newer and greater milestones,' he said.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday passed a resolution marking June 10, 2026, as an historic milestone in the journey of Indian democracy applauding Shri Narendra Modi for becoming the longest-serving elected Prime Minister of the country. By establishing a record of 4,399 days of continuous service as an elected PM, he has surpassed the previous record held by India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who served for 4,398 continuous days from 1952 to 1964.

The resolution stated that this occasion stands as a symbol of India's democratic consciousness, public trust, and the power of public participation, reflecting the unprecedented support bestowed by the people upon a leader guided by the 'Nation First' resolve. (ANI)