Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the NDA leaders’ conclave at Bharat Mandapam here, delivering a reflective and forward-looking speech even as his government marked the completion of 12 years in office and he himself surpassed the record of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to become the longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister with 4,399 days in office.
The high-profile meeting, attended by chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of all 22 NDA-ruled states and Union Territories as well as senior leaders from 35 constituent parties of the alliance, was convened to celebrate the milestone and review the progress of national development programmes, infrastructure initiatives, and the roadmap for Viksit Bharat by 2047. A special resolution was moved by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and seconded by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, hailing the occasion as a historic landmark in Indian democracy that reflected the people’s enduring trust in Modi’s leadership guided by the ‘Nation First’ principle.
The Union Cabinet too passed a resolution earlier in the day applauding the achievement, describing it as a symbol of democratic consciousness and public participation.
In his address, Prime Minister Modi struck a characteristically humble note about the personal milestone. “You have all made this day truly memorable for me. I am overwhelmed and deeply grateful. Chanting the mantra of Chareveti, Chareveti (keep moving forward) and witnessing numerous ups and downs in this political journey, I had never imagined that this milestone would one day be reached. I consider it my supreme privilege to have had the opportunity to serve continuously as an elected Prime Minister for the longest tenure,” he said. He attributed the long innings to divine grace and the unwavering support of the people.
“Serving Mother India for such a long time, having the privilege of serving her, is possible only with God’s special grace. And for me, the people are the embodiment of God. And that is why I have always viewed this service as a spiritual practice. This spiritual practice has never been solitary; this is a collective ‘yagya’, in which all of you and many other colleagues have contributed their services with a sens e of duty,” PM Modi added.
The Prime Minister went on to underscore the transformative journey of the past 12 years, contrasting it with earlier decades. He recalled how in 2014 India imported most of its mobile phones, but today manufactures over 330 million handsets domestically. Solar capacity had risen from a mere 2.5 gigawatts to over 150 gigawatts, ethanol blending from 1.5 per cent to 20 per cent, and the country, which had no semiconductor units earlier, now has more than 10 under construction. New ministries for skill development, cooperation and fisheries were created to ensure no section was left behind, while schemes such as Janman for tribal communities, extended Kisan Credit Card benefits to livestock rearers and fisherfolk, and the SVANidhi credit card for street vendors reflected the government’s inclusive approach.
PM Modi highlighted that these gains were achieved amid global instability, including the COVID-19 pandemic, yet India forged ahead with a stable government at the helm. He pointed to the economic resilience, noting a 7.7 per cent growth rate in 2025-26 and 7.8 per cent in the last quarter, even as many major economies struggled. More than 25 crore people had been lifted out of poverty, turning yesterday’s poor into a new middle class whose aspirations must now be protected, he stressed. “In 2014, when NDA became victorious, then I had said, a new hope has dawned… Today I am content, proud that we bolstered the faith of people. Now that hope has been converted into confidence,” the Prime Minister observed, adding that good governance had shown tangible results and every citizen now dreamt of Viksit Bharat.
He reiterated that for the NDA, the nation came before party. “For us, nation is bigger than party; country comes first,” Modi declared, urging collective dedication to fulfil the aspirations of the youth, women, middle class and farmers.
A Jhalmuri break during the NDA meeting at Bharat Mandapam. All our leaders greatly enjoyed this snack! pic.twitter.com/izXjm7cAUn
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 10, 2026
The conclave also witnessed lighter moments, with the Prime Minister sharing traditional Bengali jhalmuri prepared by West Bengal leader Suvendu Adhikari.
