The Modi Era: Resetting India's Operating System

Narendra Modi's tenure as Prime Minister of India is not merely an electoral or economic success; it has rewritten the grammar of political legitimacy.

- SEMU BHATT

Sometimes, a nation does not just change government. It changes how it sees itself. It rewrites its destiny. May 2014 represented that moment for India.

The past eleven years have shifted how citizens relate to the state, made governance and development politically marketable, and reestablished civilizational connection.

Narendra Modi's tenure as Prime Minister of India is not merely an electoral or economic success; it has rewritten the grammar of political legitimacy. He inherited a nation plagued by corruption scandals, branded among the "Fragile Five," its majority population dehumanized by the "saffron terror" narrative, and public trust in the state deeply fractured.

A decade later, India is the world's fifth-largest economy, its welfare delivery mechanisms are globally cited, and civilizational identity is expressed with renewed confidence.

GOVERNANCE TRANSFORMATION

The most visible and impactful transformation has been in governance. Since Independence, the poor have accessed the state through power brokers, electoral favors, or political patronage. NaMo disrupted this system by moving from incrementalism to speed, scale, and comprehensive improvement.

Over 55 crore Jan Dhan accounts opened; nearly every village electrified; 12 crore toilets constructed under Swachh Bharat; 41 crore Ayushman Bharat cards issued; universal health coverage extended to citizens aged 70 and above; and rural household tap water connections rose from 18% to 80%.

These and other effective interventions recalibrated how citizens experienced the state.