Opinion/ How PM Modi has set the foundation for ‘Mahatvakanshi Bharat’

It is very clear now that one of the things Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoys the most is setting seemingly difficult targets for the country across different spheres. These uphill targets inspire stakeholders to really raise the bar and work much harder than what they have been accustomed to. The stakeholders are provided with a supporting infrastructure, hitherto unavailable to them, enabling them to dream big. In the end, the country achieves important milestones that it would otherwise have not been able to realise. 

India’s eventful presidency of G20

Of the recent successes, India’s eventful presidency of G20 has left a rich legacy. Whether it was the historic inclusion of African Union nations in G20 or the formal announcements of IMEEC and the Global BioFuel Alliance, India, under PM Modi, has achieved in its tenure as G20 President, what none of the other nations could. 

PM Modi set uphill targets

Not one to rest on past achievements, PM Modi in just the last few days has set two new uphill targets for the country. One revolves around sports - the target to host the World Olympics in 2036; the other revolves around space technology - that India should have its first space station by 2035 and be able to send the first Indian to the moon by 2040. 

To those who are aware of the government’s investments and efforts in these two sectors in the last nine years and are familiar with PM Modi’s BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) approach to leadership. These goals may not seem very surprising. Some of the previous goals of achieving 100 per cent sanitation cover and 100 per cent electrification targets were similarly achieved in record time by stretching the system to raise its performance. 

However, weaving these ambitious goals around sports and space technology holds a special significance, as these sectors were seldom given the importance they deserved by previous governments. Rather, most previous governments worked with the defensive notion that a third world country, battling poverty and inadequacy, should be conservative on non-essential sectors. This is where PM Modi, with his ambitious approach, has turned the cliched conventional thinking on its head. 

Nurturing a sporting culture in India

India’s unprecedented 107 medals tally at the recently concluded Asian Games was the result of carefully nurtured schemes like Khelo India and Sansad Khel Mahakumbh that have improved sports infrastructure at the grassroots level. PM Modi had launched the Khelo India initiative in 2018 with a budgetary allocation of around Rs 4,000 crore. He always insisted that while India marches towards development in other fields, the sports sector must also not be ignored. PM Modi held extensive discussions with senior sportspersons from various sports in order to understand the reasons why Indian sportspersons, despite having the potential, were not so successful in international competitions. The Khelo India campaign was the result of PM Modi’s interactions with these sportspersons. As of today, under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), the flagship scheme to identify and groom prospective Olympic players in the country, players are given an allowance of Rs 50,000 per month in addition to quality training, necessary technical facilities, materials and equipment. For the first time, emphasis is being given to the dietary requirements of aspiring sportspersons. The government has made provisions to pay Rs 6.28 lakh per athlete per annum under the Khelo India initiative. Nearly 2,500 young athletes receive this benefit every year. Simultaneously, the government is in the process of setting up 1,000 district centres under the Khelo India scheme across the country. All of these measures have brought to the fore a serious and professional sporting culture in the country, leading to India’s stellar run in international sports competitions. For the first time, the country is witnessing a dedicated effort and long-term vision towards developing a robust sports infrastructure that is holistic in nature and not confined to popular sports like cricket. 

Other initiatives like Saansad Khel Mahakumbh play a key role in scouting and harnessing regional talent. A career in sports is finally getting due prestige in society as efforts are underway to provide national-level facilities at the local level. 

Therefore, PM Modi’s vision for India to bid for the 2036 Olympics can’t be more opportune and timely. Besides, the importance of sports and other means of soft power for an emerging economic power can’t be emphasised enough. 

India aims for space under PM Modi

Similarly, if India under PM Modi is able to think really big on the front of space technology, the foundation for it has been carefully laid out through bold policy initiatives in the last few years. 

In April this year, The Union Cabinet had approved the National Quantum Mission (NQM), with a total cost of Rs 6003.65 crore from 2023-24 to 2030-31. The mission aims to nurture and scale up scientific and industrial research and development in quantum technology, fostering a vibrant and innovative ecosystem in India. Prior to this, in 2020, the government had eased rules for private sector satellite and rocket companies, allowing them to carry out independent space activities instead of being solely the suppliers to ISRO. The reforms mean that startups can also access ISRO’s facilities, such as launchpads and laboratories. This provided an impetus for private sector companies to venture into space technology.

The success of Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1 missions have simultaneously fuelled the confidence and ambition of ISRO scientists who are now raring to go at new challenges and have set their eyes on other planets. The growing size of India’s space economy is a good indicator of the confidence the sector commands. According to consulting firm Arthur D Little, India's space economy is expected to touch $40 billion by 2040 and, with the right strategies, could tap into a $100 billion market opportunity. According to the firm’s projections, “The Indian government aspires for the country’s space sector to account for 9 per cent of the global industry by 2030. With its current trajectory, India’s space economy could reach $40 billion by 2040. However, India has the potential to claim a much larger share of the global space economy, amounting to a staggering $100 billion addressable opportunity by 2040.” 

Well, trust PM Modi to provide his Midas’ touch where needed. His announcements that India will set up its space station by 2035 and send a manned mission to the moon by 2040 are seen as huge game-changers for India’s space sector. It will not be wrong to say that PM Modi has set the foundation for ‘Mahatvakanshi Bharat’ or Ambitious India.

(The writer is the national spokesperson of BJP)