NDA Govt@11: ‘Modi ko Base Pasand Hai’ – Will It Soar or Stay Grounded?
PM Narendra Modi! (Image credit PMO)
From economic projections to e-rickshaws and fugitive billionaires, PM Modi’s 11-year rule faces scrutiny over unfulfilled promises and persistent challenges.
By MANISH ANAND
NEW DELHI, June 10, 2025 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s completion of 11 years in office has been marked by another round of self-congratulatory messages from Union Ministers and BJP functionaries. The ruling party launched a fresh campaign—Operation Sindoor—to commemorate the milestone, releasing a poster of the Prime Minister striding confidently under fighter jets.
However, the eruption of violence in the Imphal Valley in Manipur cast a shadow over the celebrations in the national capital. The mainstream TV media, meanwhile, diverted its attention to a sensational crime Indore couple case, showing rare interest in India’s Northeast—much like a Peepli Live-style deflection.
BJP president J.P. Nadda addressed a press conference at the party headquarters, listing the achievements of the Modi government. A quiet beneficiary of Modi’s tenure himself, Nadda has extended his term well beyond the original three years and is now in his sixth year as party chief.
A month ago, NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam surprised even Union Ministers by declaring that India had become the world’s fourth-largest economy. Many in the BJP felt such an announcement should have come from the Prime Minister himself. The excitement was short-lived, though, as it emerged that India still had a few more months to go before it could officially surpass Japan.
At his press conference, Nadda cited IMF projections that India would soon overtake Japan—and eventually Germany—to become the world’s third-largest economy, trailing only the U.S. and China. While Japan’s economic decline is well-documented due to its ageing population, and Germany struggles under the weight of the Ukraine war’s economic fallout, these comparisons may flatter India’s current pace.
If it were a race of athletes, Japan and Germany might look like runners out of breath, while India jogs steadily past. But in fairness, the real benchmark remains China. Despite being battered by severe COVID-19 lockdowns, China’s $19.3 trillion economy is nearly five times larger than India’s $4.1 trillion.
Still, Nadda insisted that the Modi government has laid a “solid foundation” for a Viksit Bharat (Developed India). Yet this rhetoric is familiar: after Modi’s first term, the government claimed to have built a strong base. After the second term, it said the foundation was stronger still. Now, a year into the third term, the refrain continues.
Meanwhile, the proliferation of e-rickshaws in metro cities and even tier-II and tier-III towns suggests a grim trend—India’s economy may not be creating enough gainful employment for its youth. Paradoxically, luxury apartments are being sold out on the first day of pre-launch, and SUVs are flying off showroom floors. Builders, however, struggle to sell affordable homes, and two-wheeler sales remain sluggish. The Indian economy appears to be walking an unusual path.
The anniversary of the Modi government also coincided with a striking revelation: fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya declared that he had left India after informing senior officials. Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, and Lalit Modi continue to live comfortably in Europe. In a 2019 interview with this author, Modi had asserted: “Wherever they are, we will not let them rest in peace—they will be hounded.” Six years later, that promise remains largely unfulfilled.
The vision of a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047 will require more than slogans and symbolic milestones. With two full terms and another year already consumed in laying the supposed foundation, the reality of progress is under increasing scrutiny. Nadda’s extended tenure as BJP president may reflect a broader political status quo—one that risks ignoring pressing social and economic realities.
The recent suffocation-led deaths of four suburban train passengers in Mumbai serve as a grim reminder that the cost of complacency is far too high.
(This is an opinion piece; views expressed solely belong to the author)
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