Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked 25 continuous years as a head of government on October 7, a political journey that began when he took office as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001 and later took him to New Delhi as Prime Minister in 2014.
Modi governed Gujarat for more than 12 years before becoming Prime Minister following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory in the 2014 general election. He is currently serving his third term as Prime Minister.
A major feature of his years in national government has been an effort to expand access to basic services, including bank accounts, sanitation, cooking fuel, housing, drinking water and healthcare. Programmes including Jan Dhan, Ujjwala, Swachh Bharat, Jal Jeevan Mission and Ayushman Bharat have formed part of that agenda.
Technology has also become central to India’s system of public-service delivery. Direct Benefit Transfers, digital payments and wider digital public infrastructure have been used alongside investments in roads, railways, airports, manufacturing and entrepreneurship. India’s government has increasingly presented these policies as part of its broader push towards a developed and self-reliant economy.
The Union Cabinet adopted a resolution marking Modi’s 25-year milestone, highlighting financial inclusion, infrastructure, digital governance and other policy initiatives undertaken during his years in office.
The anniversary also drew messages from several foreign leaders, including Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
Modi’s quarter-century in government represents one of the longest continuous periods at the head of elected governments in modern Indian politics. His supporters point to expanded infrastructure, welfare delivery and India’s growing international profile, while critics continue to debate his government’s record on issues including inequality and political polarisation.
The milestone leaves Modi’s political journey stretching from Gujarat’s state government to more than 12 years at the helm of the world’s most populous country.
