By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed India’s rapid economic growth, technological advancement and rising global influence which he said was reflected in 12 years of his government.
Addressing members of the Indian diaspora in Paris during the concluding leg of his France visit on Thursday, Modi said India’s GDP, number of airports and universities had doubled during this period, while highway construction speed had tripled and the metro rail network had expanded fourfold.
Highlighting India’s growing economic strength, Modi said defence exports had increased 35 times over the last 12 years and mobile phone manufacturing units had grown 100-fold, making India the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer.
He also underlined the social impact of development, noting that 250 million people had risen out of poverty and that more permanent houses had been built for the poor in the past decade than the total number of homes in France. Universal access to bank accounts, he said, had transformed financial inclusion into a mass social movement.
The Prime Minister emphasized India’s digital revolution, pointing to over 1.25 billion Aadhaar identities and nearly 900 million digital health IDs. He said technology was empowering farmers, fishermen, dairy workers, women and students across the country.
Modi said India’s achievements in areas such as space exploration and clean energy reflected the nation’s growing ambitions. Referring to the Chandrayaan mission’s successful landing near the Moon’s south pole, he said India was now preparing for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission and working toward establishing its own space station.
He also highlighted investments in green hydrogen, advanced nuclear energy and deep-tech innovation. Citing the recently held Bharat Innovates programme in Nice and India’s participation in the VivaTech event in Paris, Modi said Indian startups were increasingly attracting global investors, research institutions and business partnerships.
“India is not merely preparing for the future; it is helping shape the future,” the Prime Minister said.