Power to Empower: How Is India’s Progress Creating Opportunities for the World?
From Global Uncertainty to Shared Progress
At a time when the world is navigating geopolitical shifts, supply chain disruptions, energy uncertainties and rapid technological change, the need for cooperation and shared progress has never been greater. The real measure of progress lies not just in how far a nation advances, but in how its capabilities create opportunities for others.
For a generation growing up in a world shaped by AI, digital platforms and global connectivity, this approach offers an interesting perspective on how India is contributing to the future.
Digital India: Making Opportunities More Accessible
For today’s youth, access to the internet is often the first step towards learning a new skill, exploring a career or building something of their own. India’s digital transformation has helped make these possibilities more accessible.
Affordable mobile data and expanding connectivity have enabled students in smaller towns to access digital learning, local businesses to reach new customers and young entrepreneurs to explore opportunities beyond geographical boundaries.
India’s digital payments ecosystem offers another example. A street vendor and a large showroom can use the same digital infrastructure to receive payments. This is what inclusive technology looks like: innovation that works at different scales and expands participation in the economy.
India is also sharing its experience in Digital Public Infrastructure with partner countries. The CoWIN platform, developed during the COVID-19 pandemic and made open source, illustrates how digital solutions can support public needs beyond national boundaries.
Innovation Beyond the Usual Hubs
India’s startup ecosystem is changing where innovation comes from and who gets to participate in it.
With 2,50,000+ startups, India has created an expanding landscape for entrepreneurship. Nearly half of these startups are based in smaller cities and towns, while more than 45% have at least one woman director or partner.
This matters because innovation should not be limited by geography, background or access to traditional business networks. When more people get the opportunity to experiment, build and solve problems, the benefits extend beyond individual businesses to the wider economy.
For young Indians, this represents a shift in possibility: ideas can emerge from smaller cities, address real-world challenges and find relevance in wider markets.
Technology That Makes Governance Work Better
Technology is also changing how citizens interact with public systems.
Through the JAM Trinity, Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar and mobile connectivity and Direct Benefit Transfer, India has strengthened the mechanism through which government assistance reaches beneficiaries directly in their bank accounts.
The objective is practical: reduce unnecessary intermediaries, improve convenience and make public service delivery more efficient.
India’s poverty reduction efforts reflect the scale of its development ambitions. According to figures cited by the Prime Minister, approximately 250 million people have been lifted out of poverty over the past decade.
The broader takeaway is that progress is not just about building new systems; it is about ensuring that people can benefit from them.
Clean Energy: Turning Climate Action into Opportunity
Climate action is often discussed in terms of targets and commitments. India’s energy transition also highlights its connection with everyday lives and livelihoods.
India achieved its target of deriving 40% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in November 2021, ahead of its 2030 deadline. Its renewable energy capacity has expanded from approximately 75 GW in 2014 to around 300 GW.
Initiatives such as PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana and PM-KUSUM are extending solar energy opportunities to households and farmers. These programmes can help reduce energy costs, support decentralised power generation and contribute to lower emissions.
Through initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuel Alliance, India is also promoting international cooperation on clean energy.
The idea is to make sustainability more than an environmental goal—to make it a source of opportunity, resilience and inclusive growth.
From Affordable Medicines to Global Partnerships
India’s contribution to the world extends beyond technology and energy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, India supplied vaccines to more than 100 countries, demonstrating how domestic manufacturing capabilities could support international public health efforts. Its pharmaceutical industry also plays a significant role in making generic medicines accessible across global markets.
At a time when countries are reassessing supply chains and the reliability of international partnerships, such capabilities highlight the importance of cooperation.
India is also contributing to collective solutions through initiatives such as the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the Big Cat Alliance and Mission LiFE, which promotes environmentally responsible lifestyles.
These efforts reflect a wider approach: global challenges require solutions that countries can develop and advance together.
Building a Future on Trust and Collaboration
The world is experiencing a period of significant change. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, geopolitical tensions are affecting trade, and disruptions in energy and critical minerals are testing global supply chains.
In this environment, economic strength matters—but so does reliability.
India’s growing economy, skilled workforce, digital infrastructure and network of more than 2,000 Global Capability Centres make it an important participant in the global economy. Reforms such as the Goods and Services Tax, insolvency legislation and the consolidation of labour laws into four labour codes are part of its broader effort to strengthen the business environment.
The opportunity ahead lies in translating these capabilities into solutions that create value both within India and internationally.
The Bigger Idea: Progress That Includes More People
For a generation that values innovation, collaboration and the ability to turn ideas into impact, the principle of Power to Empower offers a useful way to think about progress.
A technology becomes more meaningful when it expands access. An innovation becomes more valuable when it solves real problems. Economic growth becomes more impactful when its benefits reach more people.
India’s approach brings these ideas together through digital public infrastructure, entrepreneurship, clean energy, healthcare and international partnerships.
In an uncertain world, the future will not be shaped by strength alone, but by how that strength is used. India’s message is that progress need not come at someone else’s expense. It can create new possibilities for everyone.
(Disclaimer: This content is based upon the PM Speech dated 13 October 2026 at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026 )
