More Stories

Informist, Tuesday, May 27, 2025

 

NEW DELHI – Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday pushed for the economic growth of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to make India the world's third largest economy. Modi said it was a happy moment when India overtook the UK to become the world's fifth largest economy, given that the UK had colonised the country for several decades. Now the goal is to become the third largest economy, he said.

 

Modi stressed the need to make smaller cities the centre of economic activity to achieve this target. "The potential of smaller cities has been increasing. ... This is a big opportunity for us. If we focus on the economic growth of our cities, we will become the third largest economy sooner," he said.

 

To achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047, the prime minister said it was important for people to use local products as much as possible. "All of you should opt for made-in-India products," he said. He also advocated the development and promotion of tourism in the country and lauded Gujarat's work in this regard.

 

Monday, NITI Aayog Member Arvind Virmani had said India was set to become the world's fourth largest economy by overtaking Japan by the end of the year, according to media reports.

 

Modi is on a two-day visit to Gujarat. He launched the Urban Development Year 2025, Gujarat's urban development plan, and the State Clean Air Programme in Gandhinagar Tuesday. He also laid the foundation stones for and inaugurated multiple projects. Monday, he visited Vadodara, Dahod, Bhuj, and Ahmedabad and held rallies and staged roadshows.

 

Referring to cross-border terrorism, Modi asserted that it is not a proxy war but a well-planned war by Pakistan. "The terrorists whose funerals were held after the missile strikes (on May 7), they were given state honours in Pakistan," Modi said. "Pakistan's flags were wrapped on their coffins, and Pakistan's army saluted them. It proves that terrorist activities are not a proxy war but a well-planned war strategy. If they are engaging in war, then the response will be accordingly."

 

Referring to the Indus Waters Treaty, which has been kept in abeyance, Modi criticised the terms of the pact, saying it was decided that desilting of dams built on rivers in Jammu and Kashmir would not be done. For 60 years, these gates were never opened. Reservoirs that were supposed to be filled to 100?pacity have been reduced to only 2% or 3%, he said.

 

"I have not done much yet. We have just put it (the treaty) in abeyance, but they (Pakistan) are already sweating," the prime minister said. "We have started cleaning the dams."

 

India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 in retaliation to the Apr. 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam and destroyed terrorist camps at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.  End

 

Reported by Kuldeep Singh

Edited by Rajeev Pai

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2025. All rights reserved.