New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday described the national Budget as a “policy roadmap” and urged stakeholders to evaluate it on “solid, long-term parameters” rather than short-term market movements.
Addressing the first post-budget webinar of the year, he emphasised that Budgets are more than income tax proposals or stock market indicators; they are a blueprint for nation-building, infrastructure expansion, and sustainable economic growth.
He said policies that expand infrastructure, ease credit flow, improve the ease of doing business and enhance transparency in governance provide “lasting strength to the economy”.
Modi emphasised that no Budget should be viewed in isolation. “Nation-building is a continuous process. Every Budget is a step toward a larger goal,” he said, referring to India’s ambition of becoming a developed nation by 2047 under the “Viksit Bharat” vision.
He urged stakeholders to treat the post-budget webinars as more than routine consultations. “These webinars should not remain limited to an exchange of ideas but become effective brainstorming exercises,” he said, adding that collaboration between industry, academia and policymakers would lead to better implementation and more precise results.
Highlighting India’s economic resilience over the past decade, Modi said it was the result of “conviction-driven reforms”.
“We have simplified processes, improved the ease of doing business, expanded technology-led governance and strengthened institutions. Even today, the country is riding on a ‘Reform Express’,” he said.
“To sustain this momentum, we must focus not only on policy intent but also on delivery excellence. Reforms should not be evaluated merely by announcements, but by their impact on the ground.”
He called for wider use of technology in governance. “We must extensively use AI, blockchain and data analytics to enhance transparency, speed and accountability,” he said, adding that grievance redressal systems should ensure continuous monitoring of impact.
Modi reiterated the government’s focus on infrastructure-led growth, noting that public capital expenditure had risen sharply over the past decade.
“Eleven years ago, around 2 trillion rupees was allocated for public capital expenditure in the Budget. In the current Budget, this has increased to over 12 trillion rupees. Such large-scale government investment sends a clear message to the private sector,” he said.
The prime minister urged industry and financial institutions to step up participation in infrastructure projects, adopt innovative financing models and strengthen collaboration in emerging sectors. He also called for improvements in project appraisal systems and greater emphasis on cost-benefit analysis and lifecycle costing to prevent waste and delays.
On foreign investment, Modi said the government was simplifying the investment framework to make it more predictable and investor-friendly. Steps were also being taken to deepen bond markets and ease the process of buying and selling bonds to support long-term financing.
“Bond market reforms must be viewed as enablers of long-term growth. We must ensure predictability, deepen liquidity, introduce new instruments and manage risks effectively. Only then will we be able to attract sustained foreign capital,” he said.
Stressing shared responsibility, Modi said policy frameworks alone were not enough. “When government, industry and knowledge partners move together, reforms translate into results. Announcements then become achievements on the ground,” he said.
He proposed developing a “Reform Partnership Charter” as a shared commitment among government, industry, financial institutions and academia to advance the vision of a developed India.
Urging stakeholders to seize opportunities created by the Budget, Modi said, “Now is not the time for discussion alone, it is the time to implement what has been announced, to translate it onto the ground swiftly and through the simplest possible pathways.”
“If you deliberate with this spirit, these webinars will truly open the doors to a vibrant economy,” he added.
