On the eve of India’s 79th Independence Day, President Droupadi Murmu hailed the country’s economic progress, social transformation, and technological strides, declaring that India remains the fastest growing major economy despite global headwinds.
Delivering a nationally televised address, the President said the country’s 6.5 percent GDP growth in the last fiscal year reflects a mix of carefully calibrated reforms, prudent economic management, and the hard work of workers and farmers. She noted that inflation is under control, exports are rising, and domestic demand remains strong, which she described as evidence that the economy is in good health.
Highlighting poverty reduction, Murmu credited targeted welfare programmes and social safety nets for lifting millions out of poverty and protecting those at risk of falling back. She stressed that income inequality is narrowing, regional economic disparities are fading, and historically weaker states are now catching up with the leading performers.
The President also pointed to sweeping infrastructure growth as a driver of inclusive prosperity. She lauded the expansion of the national highway network under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, the modernisation of railway services, and the historic completion of a rail link to the Kashmir Valley, calling it an engineering feat that will boost trade, tourism, and open new economic possibilities for the region.
Urban development, she noted, has gained momentum through metro rail expansion, the AMRUT programme’s focus on water and sanitation, and the Jal Jeevan Mission’s progress in delivering tap water to rural homes.
On healthcare, Murmu highlighted Ayushman Bharat’s role in transforming access, covering more than 550 million people, with a recent extension to all citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income.
The President praised India’s rapid digital transformation, crediting near-universal 4G coverage, leadership in global digital payments, and the success of Direct Benefit Transfer in cutting leakage from welfare schemes. She noted that more than half of the world’s digital transactions now take place in India, describing the country’s digital economy as a vibrant force shaping the future.
