When historians look back at this period of Indian politics, they will likely conclude that we are witnessing something genuinely rare in the annals of democratic governance. Narendra Modi’s completion of 4,399 days in office, more than twelve years, is not merely a numerical milestone. It represents something far more significant: the systematic reshaping of how governance operates in the world’s most populous democracy, achieved through sustained electoral legitimacy and an unflinching vision for national transformation.
The Mandate That Defies Political Gravity
Let us begin with what is most remarkable about this tenure. In a nation celebrated, and sometimes cursed, for its political volatility, where state elections routinely unseat incumbents and regional parties have historically checked central authority, Modi has achieved three consecutive Lok Sabha majorities. This is not the product of a broken opposition alone, as some critics suggest. It reflects a fundamental realignment of Indian political loyalties.
The 2014 mandate was undoubtedly a rejection of the corruption-ridden UPA years. But 2019 and 2024 were different. These were affirmative endorsements. Voters witnessed a decade of governance and chose continuity. In 2019, it came after the Pulwama attack and the Balakot response, suggesting that national security had become a primary voting consideration. In 2024, despite predictions of a close contest, the NDA secured its third term. What explains this durability? I would argue it is the perception, deeply held across vast sections of the electorate, that Modi delivers. Not perfectly, not without flaws, but measurably.
The Infrastructure Revolution That Changed Everyday Life
The most visible legacy of this era is not found in policy white papers but on the ground. I have travelled extensively across India’s tier-2 and tier-3 cities over the past decade, and the transformation in physical infrastructure is unmistakable. Highways that once were death traps are now expressways. Airports that resembled bus depots now rival global standards. The electrification of nearly every village, a goal that eluded every previous government, has been achieved.
But the more profound revolution has been digital. When critics dismiss the government’s achievements as mere optics, they overlook the quiet miracle of the India Stack. A vegetable vendor in Lucknow can now accept UPI payments from a customer in London. A farmer in Maharashtra receives fertilizer subsidies directly in his bank account, bypassing the leaky layers of middlemen who once devoured a third of every rupee. Direct Benefit Transfers have saved an estimated ₹2.7 lakh crore from corruption. That is not a talking point. That is real money that stayed in the pockets of the poor.
Welfare That Actually Reaches
Let me address the cynical dismissal of welfare programmes as “freebies.” The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has provided pucca houses with toilets, electricity, and gas connections to millions who previously lived in kuccha dwellings. The difference between this and earlier housing schemes lies in targeting. Technology enabled last-mile delivery in ways that the Congress-era Public Distribution System never achieved. The PM-KISAN income support, however imperfect, reaches 11 crore farmers. The free ration scheme during COVID, expanded from 80 crore to 100 crore beneficiaries, prevented what could have been a humanitarian catastrophe.
I do not say this to paint an uncritical picture. The quality of some constructed houses remains questionable. Many beneficiaries still face exclusion errors. But the direction of change is undeniable.
The Economic Record: Ambition Meets Reality
The economic story is more contested, and here I must offer nuance. India has indeed remained among the world’s fastest-growing major economies. The IMF projects sustained growth above 6 percent. Foreign exchange reserves are healthy. But job creation in the formal manufacturing sector has lagged behind the government’s own aspirations. The “Make in India” initiative has seen successes, mobile phone manufacturing, electronics, and pharmaceuticals, but has not yet delivered the labour-intensive industrial revolution that the country desperately needs.
However, the formalisation of the economy is an underappreciated achievement. GST, for all its implementation challenges, has brought millions of small businesses into the tax net. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code has changed the creditor-debtor relationship fundamentally. These institutional reforms will pay dividends for decades, even if their benefits are not immediately visible in quarterly GDP figures.
Foreign Policy: A Decisive Break from the Past
On the international stage, the transformation has been striking. India under Modi no longer approaches the world with the defensive, non-aligned diffidence that characterised much of its post-independence foreign policy. The relationship with the United States has deepened across defence, technology, and intelligence sharing, without sacrificing strategic autonomy. The outreach to Israel, long shadow-boxed by Congress governments, has been normalised without damaging ties with the Arab world.
The handling of China, particularly the calibrated response to the Galwan clash—demonstrated a new muscularity. India is now seen not merely as a balancing power but as a necessary partner for any serious global initiative. The G20 presidency was handled with exceptional diplomatic skill, positioning India as a bridge between the Global North and South. This is not hyperbole; it is the consensus view among international affairs analysts.
The Pandemic: When Leadership Mattered Most
No assessment of Modi’s tenure can avoid the COVID-19 period. The initial lockdown in March 2020 was chaotic. Migrant workers walked hundreds of kilometres. The government was unprepared for the humanitarian fallout. These failures must be acknowledged.
Yet the vaccination campaign that followed, the world’s largest, delivering over two billion doses, was a logistical triumph. CoWIN, the digital platform for vaccine registration, was built from scratch in weeks. Free vaccines for adults, extended repeatedly despite fiscal constraints, saved countless lives. The lesson is that this government responds poorly to sudden crises but organises effectively when given time to plan. That is neither a full endorsement nor a full condemnation, it is an honest observation.
The Criticisms That Cannot Be Dismissed
I will not pretend that this era has been without serious blemishes. The erosion of institutional autonomy in agencies like the CBI and ED is deeply troubling, regardless of which party benefits. The weaponisation of tax investigations against political opponents sets a dangerous precedent. The shrinking space for critical media, evident in the concentration of news ownership and the intimidation of journalists, is incompatible with the healthiest version of democracy.
On social cohesion, the record is genuinely mixed. The revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir was constitutionally valid and has brought development to a region long starved of it. But the rise in hate speech, the lynching incidents of previous years, and the selective enforcement of cow protection laws have created an atmosphere where minorities feel anxiety. The government has often appeared reluctant to condemn violence when committed by its own supporters. This silence is its greatest moral failure.
An Unfinished Verdict
So where does this leave us? Narendra Modi’s tenure is not a completed chapter, it is one still being written, with two years likely remaining in his third term. The final judgement will depend on what follows. Will the government address the jobs crisis through deeper manufacturing reforms? Will it defend institutional independence against encroachment? Will it model the inclusive rhetoric that national leadership demands?
What is beyond dispute is that Modi has changed the grammar of Indian governance. For better and sometimes for worse, the passivity, the incrementalism, the acceptance of low-level corruption as inevitable, these have been replaced by an approach that is ambitious, centralising, and relentlessly focused on delivery. Whether this represents a permanent improvement or a temporary departure will be decided by the leaders who follow. But no serious observer of Indian politics can deny that we have lived through a consequential era—one that will be debated, studied, and argued over for generations to come. That, perhaps, is the truest measure of significance.
Author is District President Minority Morcha District Baramulla
