'It Cannot Happen' Era Over: PM Modi Hails Mindset Change, Reveals New India’s New Mantra At Republic Summit 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his address at the Republic Summit 2026 to make a broader argument about what he called India's biggest transformation over the past 12 years - not just in infrastructure, governance or economic growth, but in the national mindset itself.

Speaking on the summit theme, ‘Great Power India: Nation First’, PM Modi said that India has emerged from an era of despair and pessimism into one defined by confidence, aspiration and belief in its own capabilities.

According to the Prime Minister, the most significant achievement of the past decade has been the creation of an India that believes change is possible.

“One of the greatest achievements of these 12 years of service has been building an India filled with hope and aspiration, rising out of despair.”

He contrasted today's atmosphere with what he described as the mood prevailing before 2014, when people had lost faith that problems could be solved. 

“In the ten years before 2014, under the Congress government, the discontent was not only about governance. The despair was far deeper. The nation had lost hope. People felt nothing could change, nothing could improve,”he said. 

PM Modi stated that the turnaround is visible in regions once considered impossible to transform. He pointed to the government's efforts in Maoist-affected areas, where thousands of violent incidents and deaths had occurred between 2004 and 2014. Rather than relying only on security operations, the government combined development with law enforcement, the Prime Minister said. 

Over the last decade, more than 12,000 kilometres of roads were built in Naxal-affected regions, over 9,500 mobile towers were installed, connectivity was extended to nearly 45,000 villages, more than 1,800 bank branches were opened, around 75,000 banking correspondents were deployed and over 6,000 new post offices were established.

"We did not just talk, we did not just announce, we acted," PM Modi said. "We resolved to uproot Naxalism-Maoism completely," he declared.

He claimed Maoist violence in India is now ‘counting its final breaths’ and cited the growing popularity of the Bastar Olympics as evidence of a dramatic shift from fear to opportunity. The first edition saw over 1.5 lakh participants, while nearly 4 lakh youth took part in the second.

The ‘Pradhan Sevak’ of our country believes these developments symbolise a larger national change.

"Today, everyone feels that with a little more effort, things can be achieved. Gone are the days when the only refrain was “It cannot happen, it cannot happen.” That era has passed. Today, the spirit is “It will happen.”

The Prime Minister described this confidence as India's ‘real power’, highlighting that challenges will always exist but can be overcome when citizens believe solutions are possible.

He also highlighted the Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks programme as another example of changing mindsets. Instead of labeling regions as ‘backward’, the government renamed them ‘aspirational’ and focused on targeted development indicators. PM Modi further informed that these districts, once considered a drag on growth, are now helping drive state economies forward.

Sharing the efforts to link aspiration with poverty reduction, PM Modi noted that nearly 25 crore people have moved out of poverty in recent years and entered what he called the neo-middle class.

“When someone rises out of poverty, the entire society benefits, the nation benefits. When 250 million people have come out of poverty and entered the neo-middle class, the benefit is not limited to those families. The middle class also gains, because these are new consumers who drive the economy, ultimately creating opportunities for the middle class. Thus, poverty reduction is not merely a matter of welfare – it is a story of expanding opportunities, a source of new aspirations.”

Listing the measures aimed at improving the lives of the middle class, including lower home-loan interest rates, the Prime Minister said that a Rs 25,000 crore fund were allotted and used to complete stalled housing projects, metro network expansion, introducing new-generation trains such as Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat and Amrit Bharat, increased airport connectivity, tax reforms and cheaper medicines through Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

According to PM Modi, rising public expectations are themselves proof of India's growing confidence.

"Earlier, expectations were that trains should arrive on time and provide clean seating. Today, the demand is: Why isn't Vande Bharat running on our route?" he said. He argued that such demands should not be viewed as dissatisfaction but as aspirations created by development.

In one of the sharpest political moments of his speech, PM Modi said that even Congress now approaches him with demands because it believes his government can deliver.

"Even the Congress party constantly says, 'Modi ji, this should happen, that should happen.' They trust that if anyone can deliver, it is this government," he remarked.

The Prime Minister also said that aspirations emerge only when people believe their dreams can be fulfilled, adding that this confidence among India's youth, poor and middle class has become the driving force behind the country's development journey.

Concluding the address, PM Modi said that India is now on what he called the ‘Reform Express’ and that the momentum of change will continue to accelerate. Reiterating his confidence in the country's future, he said that the collective efforts of 1.4 billion Indians would create a developed India within the lifetime of the current generation.

“From this Republic TV platform, I say again - Our dreams are vast, and our efforts will be equally immense…I assure you, you will see this developed India with your own eyes. It will not be left for future generations to wait,” PM Modi said. 

Watch PM Modi's Full Address At Republic Summit 2026 -  

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