No More Missed Buses: PM Modi's Blueprint for a New India

Have you ever had that sinking feeling of missing a golden opportunity? We’ve all been there. It’s a feeling Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently talked about at the ET World Leaders Forum, but on a national scale. He used the simple phrase "missing the bus" to describe how, for years, India watched from the sidelines as major technological and industrial revolutions passed us by. But, as he laid out, the story has dramatically changed since 2014.

Key Highlights

• ✓ Prime Minister Modi states India has chosen not to "miss any bus" on global opportunities since 2014.
• ✓ India developed its own 5G stack and is now working on Made-in-India 6G technology.
• ✓ Automobile exports have skyrocketed from Rs 50,000 crore annually before 2014 to Rs 1.2 lakh crore today.
• ✓ The number of space start-ups has jumped from just one in 2014 to over 300 today.
• ✓ A major GST reform is underway, set to be completed by Diwali to simplify the system and lower prices.

The 'Missed Buses' of the Past

Let's be real for a moment. To understand where we're going, we have to understand where we've been. PM Modi didn't pull any punches when he explained why India repeatedly fell behind. He pointed to previous governments being entangled in what he called "vote-bank politics," where the thinking rarely went beyond the next election cycle. This short-term vision had long-term consequences for the nation's progress.

The prevailing mindset was that creating cutting-edge technology was a job for developed nations. India's role? Just import it when needed. This dependency, Modi argued, was the very reason we lagged. He gave some pretty stark examples. When the internet revolution swept the globe, we missed that bus. Then came the 2G era, and we all remember the controversies surrounding the alleged 2G scam. Another bus missed. For 2G, 3G, and even 4G, India remained heavily dependent on foreign players. The question was, how long could this go on?

💡 A Direct Quote: "India chose not to miss any bus since 2014," PM Modi said. "Instead, we will sit in the driving seat and move forward."

Taking the Driver's Seat: A New Approach

So what changed? According to the Prime Minister, everything. The new approach is about taking control, innovating, and building from the ground up. Take telecommunications, for instance. Instead of relying on others, India developed its entire 5G stack domestically. Not only did we build it, but we also deployed it across the country at a record pace. And we're not stopping there; the focus is already on developing Made-in-India 6G technology.

Another massive shift is happening in the world of semiconductors. Modi pointed out that India could have started manufacturing them 50 or 60 years ago but kept missing the opportunity. That's no longer the case. Semiconductor factories are now being set up, and he announced that the first Made-in-India chip is expected to hit the market by the end of this year. This is a monumental step towards technological self-reliance.

Reaching for the Stars: The Space Sector Boom

The transformation is perhaps most visible when you look up at the sky. India's space sector is buzzing with new energy. Before 2014, our space missions were few and far between. From 1979 to 2014—a span of 35 years—India conducted just 42 space missions. In the last eleven years alone, that number has jumped to over sixty. It's a clear signal that we can't afford to lag behind when every major nation is exploring opportunities in space.

A huge part of this was opening the sector to private participation. Think about this: in 2014, India had just one space start-up. Today, there are over 300! The government has backed this with a 1,000 crore Venture Capital Fund for space startups. With ambitious projects like the Gaganyaan Mission to send Indian astronauts to space and the goal of having our own space station, the sky is literally not the limit anymore.

Powering the Vision with Economic Reforms

This ambitious vision isn't just wishful thinking; it's backed by solid economic fundamentals and a relentless push for reform. The PM highlighted that despite the shock of the Covid pandemic, India's fiscal deficit is predicted to drop to 4.4%. The country's banking system is stronger than ever, inflation is low, and foreign exchange reserves are at an all-time high. It's this macroeconomic stability that provides the foundation for growth.

Reforms aren't just happening in niche sectors. They're broad and deep. The Jan Vishwas 2.0 initiative, for example, has decriminalized over 300 minor offenses, a move aimed at building trust and improving the ease of doing business. The 60-year-old Income Tax law has been simplified to be more accessible to the common taxpayer. And there's a major reform of the GST framework coming by Diwali, promising a simpler system and lower prices for consumers.

From Imports to Exports: A Story in Numbers

The shift from an import-heavy economy to an export powerhouse is a cornerstone of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) vision. The numbers speak for themselves. Before 2014, our annual automobile exports were around Rs 50,000 crore. Today, that figure stands at a staggering Rs 1.2 lakh crore. We're not just exporting cars; we're sending metro coaches, rail coaches, and soon, electric vehicles to 100 countries.

It's the same story across other sectors. Agricultural exports hit Rs 4 lakh crore last year. Electronics exports, which took 65 years to reach Rs 35,000 crore, are now close to Rs 3.25 lakh crore. This isn't incremental change; it's a quantum leap, driven by a clear policy shift towards making in India for the world.

Fueling the Future with Research and Conviction

You can't build a developed nation on imported ideas. That's why there's a massive push for research and development. Government spending on R&D has more than doubled since 2014, and the number of patents filed has increased an incredible 17 times. This isn't happening by accident. Initiatives like the National Research Foundation, with its 50,000 crore budget, are designed to create a robust research ecosystem.

The Prime Minister made it clear that these reforms aren't driven by crisis or compulsion. Instead, he said, they are a "matter of commitment and conviction." He called on industry leaders and the private sector to step up investment in future-forward sectors like Clean Energy, Quantum Technology, Battery Storage, and Biotechnology. This collaboration is seen as essential to energize the vision of a developed India, or Viksit Bharat, by 2047.

Conclusion

The bottom line is this: the narrative has shifted from "missing the bus" to being firmly in the driver's seat. The message from the ET World Leaders Forum was one of proactive ambition, not passive reaction. It’s a story of transforming from a nation that imported technology to one that is creating it, from following global trends to setting new benchmarks. Guided by the mantra of "Reform, Perform, Transform," the goal is not just to catch up, but to lead. As the PM put it, India now carries the strength to "reshape even the course of time."