Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India would continue its economic reforms, asserting that the country’s strong growth was increasing confidence in the global economy. During a busy day across Gujarat and Maharashtra, he also highlighted India’s fintech growth and criticised the Opposition over infrastructure projects.
Modi began his visit in Vadodara, where he laid foundation stones, inaugurated and dedicated development projects worth around ₹35,000 crore. He later addressed the ‘Namo for Viksit Bharat’ programme before inaugurating the Global Fintech Fest 2026 in Mumbai.
Speaking about India’s economy, Modi pointed to the country’s 7.8% GDP growth in the previous quarter despite global uncertainty, geopolitical conflicts, trade tensions and challenges involving energy and commodities. He said the figures reflected growing international confidence in India’s economic momentum, macroeconomic stability and structural reforms.
At the fintech event, Modi said UPI had completed 10 years and had become an important part of everyday life for millions of Indians. He urged the fintech industry to focus on cybersecurity, responsible data protection and stronger consumer safeguards.
He also called for expanding UPI to more countries, particularly those with large Indian communities, significant trade ties with India or an interest in linking their payment systems with India. According to Modi, UPI was already live in 11 countries and connected with Singapore’s local payment system.
During his Vadodara programme, Modi also targeted the Opposition while speaking about the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor. He said the project had moved slowly under the previous Congress-led UPA government but was accelerated after 2014.
Taking a sarcastic swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi without naming him, Modi said critics would behave like a “naraz fufa”, or grumpy uncle, and continue finding reasons to complain about major infrastructure projects.
Modi also contrasted his government’s railway expansion with the previous regime, claiming that India had built 50,000 modern rail coaches after 2014.
The Prime Minister further criticised Opposition outreach efforts among young people, warning that youth should not be misled by what he described as political lies. His remarks came amid Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign.
At the event attended by young students and professionals, Modi urged the younger generation to focus on what he called facts and development rather than political rhetoric.
Overall, Modi’s day combined a strong pitch for economic reforms and digital payments with a sharp political attack on the Opposition.
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