Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Indians after the country recorded 7.8% GDP growth in the April-June quarter, calling the performance a reflection of the collective strength and hard work of the people.
In a video message posted from Kyrgyzstan, PM Modi described the growth figure as “stellar” and said India had achieved the feat despite an unsettled global environment marked by wars, geopolitical tensions and disrupted supply chains.
“Many congratulations to the people of the country. 7.8% growth has filled the country with happiness,” the Prime Minister said, crediting citizens for their “power of resolve” and hard work.
Pointing to the difficult international economic environment, Modi said India's growth was particularly significant given continuing global instability.
“The world is drowned in war. There is news of war all around. The world is surrounded by crises. The supply chain is completely disturbed,” he said.
He also referred to the economic uncertainty that has persisted since the Covid-19 pandemic, saying stability had remained elusive since 2020.
Despite these challenges, the Prime Minister said, India continued to grow at a rapid pace.
Official data released on Monday showed that India's economy expanded by 7.8% in the April-June quarter, beating expectations and signalling continued resilience in domestic economic activity despite geopolitical uncertainty and concerns arising from the conflict in Iran.
Alongside celebrating the GDP figures, Modi used his message to renew his appeal for greater reliance on Indian products and services.
The Prime Minister urged citizens to make Swadeshi a part of their everyday choices, arguing that greater domestic consumption would strengthen India's economy and contribute to the country's journey towards self-reliance.
“The more we opt for local products and services, the more India will progress,” Modi said.
He urged people to avoid foreign tourism where it was not necessary and specifically called for Indians to reconsider organising weddings overseas.
Modi also renewed his call for Indians to choose domestic destinations for weddings rather than spending on elaborate ceremonies abroad.
Urging citizens to adopt the mantra “Wed in India”, he said overseas destination weddings represented an avoidable outflow of money.
“Don't travel to foreign countries for tourism. Avoid organising destination weddings in foreign countries. We should live by the mantra of ‘Wed in India’,” the Prime Minister said.
He also appealed to citizens to avoid buying gold unless it was necessary.
“Avoid buying gold if it's not necessary,” he said.
The appeal comes against the backdrop of India's need to manage foreign exchange outflows and navigate uncertainty in global markets.
Modi linked the appeal for greater domestic consumption with his broader vision of a Viksit Bharat, or developed India.
He said continued emphasis on self-reliance would help India build an economy capable of meeting the aspirations of its younger population.
“If we continue to emphasise self-reliance, I have full faith that when we reach 100 years of independence, we will hand over a developed India to our youth,” he said.
The Prime Minister also called on citizens to treat the latest GDP numbers not simply as a reason for celebration but as motivation to work harder towards India's development goals.
“Our policy is right. Our intention is clear. And the power of 140 crore countrymen today, united, is taking the country to new heights,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister had made a similar appeal in May, asking citizens to collectively help India deal with supply-chain disruptions, rising prices and uncertainty arising from international conflicts.
At the time, he urged people to reduce fuel consumption, use public transport and adopt electric vehicles where possible.
He had also asked citizens to avoid unnecessary foreign travel and overseas weddings for a year and called for restraint in non-essential gold purchases.
The Prime Minister had simultaneously encouraged people to buy Made in India products as part of a broader push towards self-reliance.
With India's latest GDP numbers showing stronger-than-expected growth, Modi has once again placed the Swadeshi message at the centre of his economic appeal—asking citizens to see everyday spending, travel and consumption choices as part of the country's larger push towards self-reliance.