Modi 3.0
By Poonam I Kaushish
How does one begin an epitaph of one year of Modi 3.0? Uncork champagne on the wings of new hopes and promises? Or twelve months of steady downhill with no barrier to stop the slide, as Opposition alleges? Either which way, the year ended on a victorious note with India smelling of roses.
Yesterday (9June), Prime Minister Modi completed 11 years in power and the first of his historic third consecutive term. He didn’t just make history, emerge victorious, undefeated and unshaken, but shattered every political myth built by the Opposition over the last decade: Of achieving three consecutive terms.
Many believed the BJP-led NDA Government was on shaky ground, relying heavily on allies like Naidu’s TDP and Nitish’s JD(U), both known for switching sides. A year later those fears seem misplaced. Modi 3.0 looks confident and stable with strong support from allies. Rather than acting as unreliable supporters, TDP and JD(U) have praised Modi’s leadership and stood firmly behind him.
Politically, the year was dotted with vicious below-the-belt tu-tu-mein-mein between Congress-BJP, a tutorial in petty ugly histrionics with communication channels between both drying up underscoring nothing has changed: Its politics as usual, bitter deep divide and trust deficit between Modi Sarkar and Opposition.
Electorally, Modi suffered a loss of face in Election 2024 resulting in a new power paradigm of Modi’s 3.0 which serenades ‘Es baar coalition Sarkar’ instead of ‘Es baar 400 par’. Yet it did not take long for his juggernaut.to course correct, bounce back and how! One year into his third term it has Modi’s trademark on it, on his terms: Tight control of the political narrative, image of a strong uncompromising nationalist and repeatedly pushing the Opposition into uncomfortable corners.
Under him, BJP managed a successful course correction in Maharashtra by winning a massive landslide victory with allies Shiv Sena-NCP along-with Haryana after its drastic slide in Lok Sabha polls. The icing on the electoral cake was snatching victory from Kejriwal’s AAP in Union Capital Delhi after 27 years cementing its status as the most dominant political force in the country.
Under Modi 3.0, India’s internal and external security has undergone a tectonic shift. Operation Sindoor redefined India’s war doctrine: Establishing a new normal of India’s response to terrorism. It showed the world that India would no longer hesitate to punish terrorism —- anytime, anywhere.
It showed that terrorists and their masterminds have no place to hide as more than 100 terrorists in Pakistan and PoK, including high value targets involved in the Pulwama blast and IC-814.hijack were eliminated. Nine cross-border terror hubs, linked to 25 years of attacks on India were dismantled. This was not mere retribution; it was a clear change in India’s war doctrine: India now treats any act of terror as an act of war.
On the back of it, BJP now rides a wave of nationalism across the country. Military successes aside, the Modi Sarkar has leveraged the operation to push the Opposition, especially Congress, on the back-foot. It started with BJP-Congress trading missiles over ‘your list vs my list’ of MPs delegates even as the Government resorted to bipartisan Opposition support in its global diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor to portray India’s zero tolerance policy to terrorism and support in isolating Pakistan sponsored terrorism.
Seven teams of all-Party delegations forsaked their exclusionary and partisan politics at home and spoke in one voice, which is not practised domestically. Even as Congress played spoil sport, its senior leader Salman Khurshid tweeted, “Is it so difficult to be patriotic?” much to Rahul Gandhi’s chargin.
India’s internal security story is no less remarkable. Once infamous as a Left-Wing Extremism hub, Bastar is now nearly free from Naxal terror. Through a combination of precise operations, development initiatives, and inclusive governance, the government has broken the backbone of the red corridor. The promise to make India entirely Naxal-free is no longer a slogan, it is rapidly becoming a reality. The number of LWE-affected districts reduced from 126 to 6 today
Notably, Modi 3.0 has continued to address its core ideological projects, much like it had done in its first and second term. In April, Parliament passed the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Much like the 2019 law banning triple talaq, the Waqf Act is borne out of the BJP’s long-stated desire to bring transparency, restore land rights and a sense of justice, especially to women in matters pertaining to the Muslim community. The law is currently under challenge in the Supreme Court.
To streamline the worse-than-snail-pace legal system and remove the ‘tareekh pe tareekh’ encumbrance of our slow judicial process the Government overhauled the criminal justice system through three new criminal laws which replaced the colonial-era IPC.
By effectively co-opting Congress’ caste plank, BJP accuses past Congress Governments of not allowing a caste census, “insulting” Ambedkar and putting the Mandal Commission report on OBC quotas on the backburner in the 1980s. Notwithanding, its decision is a sharp reversal of the BJP’s stance in the 2024 election campaign when it had dismissed the demand for a caste census as a move to divide society.
With ‘sabka vikas’ in mind, the Government has laid special emphasis on infrastructural development in the country. And what better example than Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge connecting Jammu to Srinagar. Its significance is the Kashmir Valley is for the first time connected to the rest of the country by rail, breinging a sense of unity.
With a 6.5% growth rate projected over the next half-decade the country retains the tag of the world’s fastest-growing big economy now a $4 trillion economy. Foreign exchange reserves have soared to $700 billion, reflecting deep financial resilience. Happily, the latest World Bank report shows reduction from 27.1% to 5.3%.
The year also saw progress on NaMo’s pet idea of instituting simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, with the introduction of two crucial Bills in Parliament. Additionally, the Government has been deft in its political manoeuvring by taking all by surprise to enumerate caste in the next census, thereby turning the tables on Congress’s Rahul Gandhi who has invested a lot of political capital on this for close to two years.
Even as Modi imprints his persona on Bharat, it is high time the Opposition bandies together. Every country and democracy needs a strong Opposition. It is high time the Congress gets its act together even as it struggles to search for direction and unity among its allies. It hasn’t managed a major State poll win, and Opposition parties like TMC and AAP have drifted away from the INDIA bloc. A wake-up call to Rahul, Mamata, Stalin etyc.l
Modi’s leadership remains dominant, of a decisive leader with no clear alternative in sight, as his government confidently advances its agenda. But the coming months pose a stiff challenge with unemployment at 45%, rising oil prices, farm distress and consumers buying less. Undoubtedly, bread-and-butter issues will require the Government to put in a lot of time and effort to ensure people get naukri, nyay and vikas.
Undeniably, Modi’s task is not enviable. The burden on him is enormous. Much is expected of him. To fulfil his vote of faith, NaMo will need to reach out and tap best resources, enlarge his catchment area to defend the interests of the Indian State, advance goals of growth, development, national security and stability.
With great power comes greater responsibility. Will Modi continue to redefine politics and deliver? His track record shows that he can and will. Time will tell. — INFA