Kolkata, 16 September (H.S.): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic approach has laid the foundation for India’s rapid economic growth and played a major role in making the country self-reliant.

Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Singh highlighted Modi’s 25-year journey in public life, from his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister to his years as Prime Minister. He said Modi’s birthday falls on September 17 and that nearly 20 days later, on October 7, he will complete 25 years as the head of a government.

Singh said Modi served as Gujarat Chief Minister for 13 years and has been Prime Minister for 12 years. Summing up the 25-year journey in a single word, he described it as “service”. According to Singh, this period has witnessed significant changes not only in Indian politics but also in development, governance and India’s position globally.

Referring to Modi’s economic policies as “Modinomics”, Singh said India had considerable talent and human resources even before 2014, but their full potential was not being utilised. He said the Prime Minister created an ecosystem in which the country’s talent and human resources could contribute according to their capabilities. He added that India was now moving forward with improved regulation and governance.

Singh said the system for ensuring that the benefits of welfare schemes reach the needy directly had also been strengthened. He claimed that 25 crore people had moved out of poverty over the past 12 years, while more than 94 crore people had been brought under the social security net.

Referring to the current economic growth rate, the Defence Minister said India was growing at 7.8 per cent. He linked “Modinomics” with an inclusive and new-age economy, digitalisation, innovation and self-reliance, while highlighting changes in the country’s governance framework.

He said that earlier, several sectors operated under a system where activities remained restricted until permission was granted, whereas the government was now encouraging an approach in which activities are permitted unless specifically restricted. According to him, this has created greater opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and private-sector participation.

Singh also highlighted developments in the defence sector. He said more than 40 ordnance factories had been reorganised into seven Defence Public Sector Undertakings. He claimed that defence production had increased nearly fourfold compared with 2014, reaching around Rs 1.80 lakh crore, while defence exports had increased 56 times. India, he said, was now exporting defence equipment to more than 100 countries.

Referring to the collective singing of “Vande Mataram” at the Red Fort during this year’s Independence Day celebrations, Singh described it as a recognition of West Bengal’s cultural heritage. The national song was given a special place during the 2026 Independence Day celebrations as the country marks 150 years since its composition. Singh said the collective singing at the Red Fort was also an honour for West Bengal.

Singh said the BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners would launch the “Seva Se Sankalp Abhiyan” from September 17 to mark Modi’s birthday and his 25 years as the head of a government. He said 12 major programmes would be organised across the country as part of the campaign, covering public service, social welfare and public participation.

The campaign will include activities such as lighting lamps at the homes of beneficiaries, street plays and cultural programmes. Singh said beneficiaries receiving government facilities would be encouraged to light lamps at their homes, while participation would be voluntary and no one would be pressured to do so.

He said the campaign was not limited to highlighting government achievements and statistics but was also aimed at increasing people’s participation in nation-building. According to Singh, it was not merely the story of one person’s public life but also the story of a “new India”.

On West Bengal, Singh expressed confidence that the state would make an important contribution to the building of a developed India under the guidance of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. He said the country was moving ahead on the path of progress, good governance and development under Modi’s leadership.

The Defence Minister also outlined five qualities that he associated with Modi’s leadership: leading by example, building consensus around collective goals, having the courage to bring about change, providing opportunities for others to move forward, and recognising and encouraging good work.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s “Mann Ki Baat” programme and the Padma Awards, Singh said these initiatives had helped bring wider recognition to people working at the grassroots level in different fields. He said presenting government schemes and programmes and their work on the ground to the people was the response to any political narrative.

Singh said Modi’s public life had been marked by challenges, but he had overcome them and moved forward. He added that under Modi’s leadership, the country was also moving towards greater self-reliance.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh