Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian community in Jakarta, Indonesia, during an official visit where he was conferred Indonesia's highest honor. The speech focused on strengthening India-Indonesia bilateral relations, described as a civilizational relationship shaped by centuries of cultural and economic exchange, and highlighted India's recent economic achievements.
Economic Performance and Growth
India's economy grew at 7.7% in the last quarter of the previous financial year (ending March 2026), maintaining strong momentum despite global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis in West Asia. The Prime Minister attributed this growth to a cycle of 'Reform, Perform, Transform,' positioning India as a major driver of global growth.
Key Government Initiatives and Figures
The government has built and provided over 4 crore (40 million) permanent houses to poor families over the past 10-12 years. Social security coverage in India has expanded dramatically, from 25 crore people 12 years ago to nearly 100 crore people today. Specific insurance schemes were highlighted: the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana provides ₹2 lakh accidental coverage for an annual premium of ₹20 and covers nearly 60 crore people. The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana offers life insurance for a premium of approximately ₹1.5 per day and covers 28 crore people. Combined claims paid under these two schemes total nearly ₹22,000 crore.
The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system was emphasized as a foolproof mechanism that has transferred nearly ₹50 lakh crore (50 trillion rupees) directly into beneficiaries' bank accounts over the past 12 years, which has helped 25 crore Indians overcome poverty.
Digital Economy and Infrastructure
India accounts for nearly 50% of all real-time digital payments globally, with over 75 crore (750 million) digital transactions occurring daily. The pace of highway construction has tripled over the past 12 years, and the length of expressways has increased from about 100 km to 3,000 km. India's innovation ecosystem now boasts over 2 lakh registered start-ups and around 125 unicorns.
Recent Infrastructure Launch
On July 4, 2026, projects worth more than ₹1 lakh crore (1 trillion rupees) were inaugurated. This included a major new refinery built with enough steel for 40 Eiffel Towers and cable long enough to circle the Earth twice, making India one of the world's top 4 countries in refining capacity. Other projects launched that day were a new airport in Jodhpur, a ₹28,000 crore UDAN scheme for regional air connectivity, an expansion of Jaipur's metro network, and the commencement of operations at India's third semiconductor plant.