Modi Government's 12-Year Tenure: Governance, Economic, and Foreign Policy Transformations

Indian Express - Opinion · 9 Jun 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance

Narendra Modi completes 4,399 days as Prime Minister, surpassing Nehru's record, with significant transformations in governance, economy, and foreign policy, making this period one of the most consequential in independent India's history.

Key points

Internal Security: The Modi government has significantly reduced Naxalism and terrorism, with Operation Sindoor challenging Pakistan's nuclear blackmail strategy for cross-border terrorism.

Poverty Alleviation: India has seen one of the largest poverty reduction exercises, leveraging the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile architecture for direct benefit transfers, reducing leakage and corruption.

Women's Empowerment: Initiatives like Jan Dhan accounts, Mudra loans, Lakhpati Didi, and sanitation facilities have improved women's socio-economic status, with the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam poised to enhance political representation.

Infrastructure Development: Rapid expansion of expressways, highways, airports, and digital infrastructure has transformed India's connectivity, making previously impossible projects routine.

Economic Growth: Despite global challenges, India has maintained an average yearly growth of 7.7%, emerging as a trusted destination for manufacturing, innovation, and investment.

Cultural and Constitutional Reforms: The construction of Ram Mandir and abrogation of Article 370 addressed long-standing civilisational and constitutional questions.

Foreign Policy: India has emerged as a distinct pole in world affairs, shaping outcomes in technology, energy, trade, and climate negotiations, marking a shift from moral posturing to interest-based realism.

[GS2-Governance] The Modi government's governance model combines welfare delivery, infrastructure creation, and economic growth, likely influencing future governments.

[GS3-Economy] India's economic resilience and growth trajectory under Modi have positioned it as a global economic player, with implications for trade and investment policies.

Way Forward: India should focus on sustaining economic growth through innovation, enhancing women's participation in governance, and strengthening its global strategic partnerships to maintain its rising geopolitical influence.

Key terms

Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) Trinity

A governance architecture linking Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar IDs, and mobile numbers to enable direct benefit transfers, reducing leakage and ensuring efficient welfare delivery. Its UPSC relevance lies in its role in financial inclusion and governance reforms.

Operation Sindoor

A military operation demonstrating India's capability to counter Pakistan's nuclear blackmail strategy for cross-border terrorism. It highlights India's evolving security doctrine and its implications for GS3-Security.

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam

A proposed legislation aimed at enhancing women's political representation, reflecting the government's focus on gender empowerment and its potential impact on GS2-Social Justice.

Interest-Based Realism

A foreign policy approach prioritizing national interest over moral posturing, as seen in India's stance on West Asia, Ukraine, and trade negotiations. This shift is crucial for GS2-International Relations.