India 'mother of democracy', does not grow at anyone's expense: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India does not believe in growing in isolation or withholding knowledge, but favours sharing its capabilities and working with other countries.

Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, PM Modi said, “India does not grow at anyone's expense. We grow with the world and for the world."

Calling India the “mother of democracy”, PM Modi said the country’s linguistic diversity and wide-ranging media landscape reflected the many ways people access information and discuss issues.

He said India had more than 100 languages, around 80,000 registered newspapers and publications, and over 1,000 satellite television channels.

India's digital reach has further expanded the avenues for public discussion, he said, pointing to more than 500 million YouTube users and over 500 million Instagram users.

“In our country, people openly debate different issues and discuss different perspectives,” PM Modi said, adding that digital power had played a significant role in enabling such exchanges.

He said power in the 21st century should be measured by how it is used and whether it benefits a wider section of society.

“The question is not who has power, but how that power is being used,” he said, highlighting the need to use knowledge to create opportunities rather than concentrate it in the hands of a few.

Affordable data has expanded access

PM Modi also pointed to developments in India's digital ecosystem since 2014, saying affordable mobile data had helped extend access to digital services and learning opportunities.

He cited remote digital learning, online classes and the ability of shopkeepers in remote areas to use digital tools as examples of how connectivity could expand opportunities beyond major urban centres.