Elite leap: How PM Modi’s vision is propelling India into the global big league 

Over the past decade, India has undergone a transformation that has reshaped its global standing; from a developing nation with potential to a powerhouse pushing boundaries across defence, space and technology. The Modi government’s relentless focus on self-reliance, innovation, and technological advancement through initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India has propelled the nation into the elite echelons of cutting-edge technology and capabilities. By fostering a culture of indigenous research, strengthening public-private partnerships, and prioritising strategic investments in science and technology, India is no longer just a participant but a pacesetter in the global arena. 

Breakthroughs in defense 

India’s defense sector has witnessed a paradigm shift, with the nation joining elite clubs through cutting-edge technologies that rival global superpowers. These milestones, driven by the DRDO and supported by the Modi government’s focus on self-reliance, underscore India’s readiness for modern warfare. 

• In a historic breakthrough, India recently conducted successful trials of a laser-based directed energy weapon system capable of disabling fixed-wing and swarm drones. With this feat, it has entered an elite group of only four nations, alongside the United States, Russia and China that possess such advanced capability.

• India also joined the elite club of nations testing an Active Cooled Scramjet for hypersonic missiles. The indigenous development of endothermic scramjet fuel, the first time in India, jointly by DRDL and Industry is central to this breakthrough.

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• In a significant development the DRDO in November 2024 test-fired the country’s first long-range hypersonic missile that can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. The long-range missile is manoeuvrable and flies over five times the speed of sound. This achievement has put India in the group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies. 

• In 2024, India joined the elite club with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. The successful Agni-V test with MIRV technology enhances the country's ability to deploy multiple nuclear warheads on a single missile, striking different targets. 

• In 2023, India conducted a maiden flight trial of a sea-based endo-atmospheric interceptor missile. The purpose was to engage and neutralise a hostile ballistic missile threat, thereby elevating the country into the elite club having Naval Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) capability. 

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• In 2023, India achieved successful flight test of indigenous Unmanned Ariel Vehicle. The successful flying demonstration of this autonomous stealth UAV is a testimony to maturity in the technology readiness levels in the country.  

• In 2019, through Mission Shakti, India successfully tested an anti-satellite missile, destroying a live satellite in low-Earth orbit placing it alongside the US, Russia and China with demonstrated ASAT capabilities. This strategic achievement underscored India’s ability to safeguard its space assets in an increasingly contested domain. 

India’s cosmic ambitions 

India’s space programme, led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has captivated the world with record-breaking missions and pioneering technologies. The Modi government’s increased funding and reforms, have propelled India into the elite ranks of spacefaring nations. 

• Recently, India has successfully joined the elite group of four nations demonstrating satellite docking and undocking technology, thanks to ISRO's SpaDEx mission. The undocking process succeeded on the first attempt after over 120 simulations, showcasing India's advanced technological capabilities in space exploration.9 

• In 2023, ISRO created history by being the first country to land on Moon’s South Pole. This made India the fourth country in history to soft-land on the moon after the United States, the Soviet Union, and China.10  

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• In 2022, India became the sixth country in the world after inaugurating its highly-ambitious Integrated Cryogenic Engine Manufacturing Facility (ICMF), which will cater to the entire rocket manufacturing and assembly under one roof for the Indian Space Research Organisation.11  

• ISRO continued to surprise the developed world with its out-of-the-box space missions that earned itself a distinct position among the space-faring nations. the country’s workhorse PSLV in its 39th flight (PSLV-C37), elegantly blazed through the blue skies and successfully deployed 104 satellites into the designated orbit setting a new world record in 2017.

Beyond defense and space: New technological frontier 

India’s ambitions extend to emerging domains, positioning it as a competitor among global tech leaders. 

With the announcement of Semicon India, the nation has entered the race to become a semiconductor hub with investments from global tech giants and partnerships that place India among few nations seriously competing in chip manufacturing. 

By creating the National Mission for Quantum Technology and Applications (NMQTA) in 2020, India formally entered the race for quantum computing. To keep up with China and the United States. With over ₹6,000 crore allocated to the initiative, the Modi government is aggressively backing next-gen tech to build future-ready capabilities.