PM Modi
NEW DELHI: The outgoing year (2025) will be remembered for India’s focus on reforms as a continuous national mission, PM Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, asserting that his govt prioritised collaboration over control and facilitation over regulation in the true spirit of a modern democracy. “What makes the reforms of 2025 significant is not only their dimension but also their underlying philosophy. We modernised institutions, simplified governance, and strengthened the foundations for long-term inclusive growth,” he said, citing a host of measures. Asking investors to keep trusting India and investing in its people, he said in a post on LinkedIn, that the country’s youthful demography is the prime engine of “Reform Express”, a term he first used earlier this month during Parliament’s winter session to underscore his govt’s commitment to fast-paced reforms across sectors. These reforms, which included opening up of nuclear sector to private players, higher education, 100% FDI in insurance sector, and introduction of four labour codes to cover a complex web of 29 laws, were designed with empathy, recognising the realities of small businesses, young professionals, farmers, workers and the middle class. “They were shaped by consultation, guided by data and anchored in India’s constitutional values. They add momentum to our decade-long efforts to move away from a control-based economy to one that operates within a framework of trust, keeping the citizen at its core. These reforms are aimed towards building a prosperous and self-reliant India,” he said. He emphasised that his govt will continue pursuing the reform agenda in the coming years. Amid opposition’s determined protest against his govt’s decision to bring G RAM G Act in replace UPA-era MGNREGA, he said provisions of the new law raise employment guarantee from 100 to 125 days, resulting in increased spending towards strengthening village infrastructure and livelihoods. In Parliament’s monsoon session, he said five landmark maritime legislations were passed to simplify documentation, make dispute resolution easier and reduce logistics costs, replacing outdated Acts. Modi said GST slab rationalisation will ensure dispute reduction and better compliance and has boosted consumer sentiment and demand, while tax break for individuals earning upto Rs 12 lakh is an “unparalleled relief for the middle class”. These reforms mark India’s move towards a transparent, technology-driven tax administration, he said. Modi said that trade deals with New Zealand, Oman and Britain will add to investments, job creation and encourage local entrepreneurs. He said a bill introduced in Parliament will lead to establishment of a single, unified higher education regulator in ‘Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan’ to replace overlapping bodies (UGC, AICTE and NCTE, etc). “Institutional autonomy will be strengthened, with innovation and research boosted,” he said. In a boost to small and medium businesses, the definition of “small companies” has been expanded to include firms with turnovers up to Rs 100 crore, reducing compliance burdens and associated costs for thousands of firms. Another bill will enhance governance norms in Sebi and investor protection.
