THE last nine years have been a very important period for contemporary India during the two tenures of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. With barely one year left for the next general elections in the summer of 2024, it is only natural that a look-back on the past nine years becomes a critical exercise. But an overall assessment of these nine years does indicate that the country made rapid and decisive progress on all fronts. True, much distance is still to be covered to claim that India has arrived at its desired destination. But the next 25 years -- Azadi Ka Amritkal -- at the end of which India will celebrate the centenary of its Independence, are expected to bring the change necessary to take India to greater height of all-round achievement.

We will avoid the temptation to discuss the political gains and losses of the Modi Government in the past nine years. Instead, we will focus on apolitical signs of growth and development we see through the transparent glasses without biased tilt. Fortunately, the picture we see thus offers us -- and the nation -- every possible reason to be optimistic about the country’s future. What India has achieved in the past nine years has been unique in many ways -- which no earlier regime had done. The statistics of the achievements of the past nine years can be debatable, but what is beyond debate is the quality of governance Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has ensured for the benefit of the common man. For the first time in many decades, the common man in India feels a sense of assurance that the Government is working for his uplift.

The importance of this assurance cannot be ignored. For, when the common people do sense an assurance, a hope in the atmosphere, their confidence in their own country and society grows manifold. The general air of optimism in India cannot be missed by anybody -- of course, including foreigners. The upbeat mood did not come all by itself, though. The Prime Minister and his team have worked hard to make this possible -- without taking any leave of absence from work, without any excuse-seeking to remain away from work. This is something unique even by global standards. This relentless and goal-oriented work by the top leadership has made all the difference to the overall performance of the Government under Mr. Narendra Modi. This is actually the most important attribute of the nine years of the Modi regime.

Most observers would love citing the positivism in India’s foreign policy management during the past nine years. They would be happy talking about the economic stability that the country is enjoying now, thanks, of course, to the dynamic decisions the Prime Minister took to offer a sense of balance to the economy. Another major area which would find mention in most accounts is the higher and greater defence preparedness -- which was achieved with conscious efforts and infusion of funds into defence and strategic domains. Some others would love pointing to the progressivism the Government has shown in handling of the challenge of education for the next century. Naturally, there are areas such as Garib Kalyan (through inclusive finance), better public health, more mature thrust to rural development, greater push to agriculture as an important segment of economy ... that must be appreciated.

The list can be stretched to any length. But the essence of the growth and development made possible in the past nine years indicates that there is a basic difference of practical handling of policy by the Narendra Modi Government -- which was not to be seen in most earlier regimes. No matter the ensuing elections, what the country needs now is the consolidation of the gains of nine years.