25 May,2026 10:38 PM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev Shivadekar
(From left) State BJP President Ravindra Chavan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and BJP Mumbai unit chief Ameet Satam at the book launch at Ravindra Natya Mandir Auditorium, Prabhadevi, on Monday. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
India is poised for a major economic surge once tensions between the US and Iran ease, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday, asserting that the country has strategically positioned itself for global growth under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the vision of a self-reliant India.
Speaking at the launch of a coffee table book organised by the state BJP on Monday, Fadnavis said India's transformation during the 12-year tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflects the success of the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" vision. Highlighting the country's growing self-reliance, the chief minister said that India, which once depended heavily on imports for defence technology, arms and ammunition, has now emerged as a defence exporter supplying several nations.
The book, titled âTappurthi', was brought out by Maharashtra BJP President Ravindra Chavan.
Almost every country today, be it the US under President Donald Trump, Russia, Israel, Iran or European nations, speaks highly of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Fadnavis said at the event. Referring to the ongoing US-Iran conflict, Fadnavis said several business entrepreneurs had recently told him during an interaction at a business forum that while the economies of many countries have been disturbed due to the crisis, India has positioned itself strongly under Modi's leadership and is likely to witness significant economic growth once the war ends.
Speaking on India's growing defence capabilities, Fadnavis said that if India were to face a war, the country today has enough arms and ammunition capacity to sustain operations for over a year. He said India was once heavily dependent on imports for defence equipment, ammunition and technology, but had now emerged as a manufacturing and exporting nation in the sector. Stressing that Modi had given the clear mantra of "Make in India" and "Make for the World", Fadnavis said the vision of a self-reliant India is steadily becoming a reality.
Referring to the recent conflict with Pakistan, Fadnavis said several China-made drones and missiles were fired during the hostilities, but were intercepted and destroyed mid-air, showcasing the strength of India's defence technology and preparedness.
Highlighting the economic transformation witnessed since 2014, Fadnavis said the focus of the Modi government has been on reducing logistics costs through quality infrastructure such as modern railways, roads and freight corridors. Calling the Goods and Services Tax (GST) one of the country's biggest reforms, Fadnavis said Maharashtra's annual GST collections have crossed Rs 2 lakh crore and added that the state continues to remain ahead economically, with the combined contribution of the second- and third-ranked states still behind Maharashtra. He further said the country's GDP has nearly tripled in the last decade, and foreign direct investment has risen significantly - with around 40 per cent of it coming to Maharashtra - while India's UPI platform has emerged as a globally recognised digital payment gateway.
Referring to reforms in welfare delivery, Fadnavis said that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had once remarked that only 15 paise out of every rupee spent by the government reached actual beneficiaries. However, Fadnavis said leakages have now been largely plugged due to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and digital payment systems like UPI introduced under Modi. He added that beneficiaries today receive money directly in their accounts without having to pay middlemen or government officials.
