New Delhi, 30 December (HS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday described 2025 as the “year of reforms”, stating that India has boarded the “Reform Express” and gained speed on the path of development and prosperity through decisive and far-reaching changes across sectors.

Sharing an article titled Reform Express 2025 on LinkedIn, the Prime Minister said that consistent and sustained governance has helped remove long-standing bottlenecks week after week, placing the country on a strong track of rapid growth, good governance and self-reliance. He said the reforms undertaken in 2025 would energise the resolve of building a developed India.

In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said that India has witnessed significant reforms across several sectors in 2025, accelerating the country’s growth journey and strengthening efforts towards achieving the goal of a developed nation.

The Prime Minister said India has emerged as a global centre of attraction due to the innovative mindset, youthful energy and hard work of its people. He said the world now views India with optimism and confidence, believing that the pace of progress has been accelerated through next-generation, comprehensive and multi-dimensional reforms.

He identified India’s demographic strength, particularly its youth and collective determination, as the main engine of the Reform Express. The Prime Minister said 2025 would be remembered as a year when reforms were pursued as a continuous national mission, taking forward the efforts of the past 11 years to new heights through institutional modernisation, simplified governance and a strong foundation for long-term inclusive growth.

Highlighting key reforms, the Prime Minister said the Goods and Services Tax system has been streamlined into two slabs of 5 per cent and 18 per cent, reducing the burden on consumers, MSMEs, farmers and labour-intensive sectors, while improving compliance and boosting demand.

He said the middle class has received historic relief with annual income up to Rs 12 lakh being made fully exempt from income tax, along with the introduction of the simplified Income Tax Act, 2025, replacing the earlier 1961 law. These measures, he said, mark a major shift towards transparent and technology-driven tax administration.

To support small and medium enterprises, the definition of ‘small companies’ has been expanded to include firms with turnover up to Rs 100 crore, reducing compliance costs for thousands of businesses. The Prime Minister also noted that allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment in the insurance sector would expand coverage, enhance competition and improve services.

Referring to capital market reforms, he said a Securities Market Code Bill has been introduced in Parliament to strengthen governance, enhance investor protection and reduce compliance burdens. In the maritime sector, five key laws passed during the Monsoon Session will simplify documentation and reduce logistics costs, while the removal or suspension of several quality control orders will promote ease of doing business and boost exports.

On labour reforms, the Prime Minister said 29 labour laws have been consolidated into four modern codes to safeguard workers’ interests, strengthen the business environment, enhance women’s workforce participation and extend social security coverage to unorganised sector workers.

He also highlighted trade agreements with New Zealand, Oman and the United Kingdom, as well as an FTA with the European Free Trade Association, saying these would boost investment, employment and exports. Describing reforms in the nuclear energy sector as transformative, he said they would encourage private participation and create new opportunities for youth.

Calling the increase in guaranteed workdays under the rural employment scheme from 100 to 125 a historic reform, the Prime Minister said it would strengthen rural infrastructure and livelihoods. He also termed the proposal to establish a unified higher education regulator as a major reform in the education sector.

Concluding, the Prime Minister said the reforms of 2025 are based on cooperation rather than control and facilitation rather than regulation, and are decisive steps towards building a prosperous, self-reliant and developed India. He urged domestic and global investors to continue placing trust in India’s growth journey and become partners in the country’s progress.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar