Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian diaspora in Paris on Thursday to mark 12 years of his government's tenure [1].
The speech serves as a progress report on India's internal development and its growing influence abroad, specifically through strategic alliances with European powers like France.
Modi said that India's journey is about empowering people and transforming lives. He said that his administration has lifted 25 crore people out of poverty [2] and that the nation has become the fastest-growing major economy [2]. According to the Prime Minister, India's GDP has doubled during his time in office [3].
Infrastructure development formed a central pillar of the address. Modi said there was a two-fold jump in the number of airports [4] and the completion of more than 1,900 mega projects [4]. He also said that infrastructure spending has increased more than six times [4].
Beyond domestic growth, the Prime Minister emphasized the deepening strategic partnership between India and France. This cooperation extends into high-technology sectors including deep tech, space, and artificial intelligence [5]. A key component of this digital integration is the expansion of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment network [3, 5].
Modi also said there was a massive surge in mobile manufacturing within India [3]. The administration is framing these achievements as a foundation for future goals. Ashwini Vaishnaw said that a focus on citizen-centric governance will lead the country to a "Viksit Bharat" by 2047 [6].
The event in Paris underscored the role of the Indian diaspora in bridging bilateral relations and promoting India's economic narrative on the global stage.
“"India's journey is about empowering people, transforming lives."”
By anchoring his 12-year anniversary speech in Paris, Modi is signaling that India's domestic economic success—specifically in digital payments and infrastructure—is the primary driver of its increased diplomatic leverage. The emphasis on UPI expansion and AI cooperation with France suggests a strategy to export Indian digital public infrastructure as a tool for strategic alignment with Western allies.
