World Bank President hails PM Modi as India's longest-serving continuously elected Prime Minister
Washington, DC, June 12
World Bank President Ajay Banga on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for becoming India's longest-serving continuously elected Prime Minister.
Banga praised India's development under PM Modi, highlighting consistent reforms, infrastructure growth, digital innovation, and inclusive policies, and said the World Bank stands ready to support India's continued progress.
Speaking to ANI, Banga said, "I will start by congratulating Prime Minister Modi for his 13 years in office. India's development story has been quite remarkable, not just because of its scale, but because of the way it has combined growth, infrastructure, digital innovation, and inclusion. From the World Bank's perspective, what stands out is the consistency of direction, consistency of reform, consistency of execution, building infrastructure, expanding digital public platforms, and creating the conditions for private investment and for jobs."
"Our partnership with India is strong, practical and focused on results. The next chapter will be about sustaining that momentum, creating more jobs, preparing the next generation, strengthening cities and infrastructure, and ensuring that growth reaches even more people. India's progress frankly matters of course for India, but not only for India. It matters for the world and we stand ready to be of help to the country," he added.
On June 10, PM Modi completed 4,399 days in office as Prime Minister. This achievement marks over twelve years of continuous leadership at the helm of the nation. He was congratulated by world leaders for this milestone.
A day earlier, Apple CEO Tim Cook also congratulated Prime Minister Modi, appreciating his support for innovation and saying it has helped enrich people's lives.
"Congratulations on becoming the longest serving prime minister elected in India's history, and thank you for supporting innovation that enriches people's lives!" Apple CEO in a post on X.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While I appreciate the international recognition, I hope this translates into tangible benefits for the common man. The infrastructure growth is visible, but job creation still needs to catch up. Let's see how the next chapter unfolds.
Having lived in India for a decade as an expat, I've witnessed the transformation firsthand. The digital infrastructure is incredible - from UPI to Aadhaar. World Bank is right to praise this consistency. It's a blueprint for other developing nations.
The 'continuously elected' part is key - our democracy has spoken multiple times and endorsed this leadership. Tim Cook and now Ajay Banga praising the innovation ecosystem shows India is becoming a global hub. Happy to see this recognition.
Credit where it's due. As someone working in the tech sector, the digital push has been phenomenal. But I also worry about the growing inequality. The 'inclusive policies' Banga mentions need more grassroots impact. Let's aim for growth that lifts all boats.
Interesting to see a World Bank head of Indian origin saying this. It shows the diaspora's connection to India's progress. The consistency part is what stands out - many countries can't maintain reform momentum for even 5 years.
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