A measured pace? Why the Modi government is 'choosing' consolidation over speed

By N.S. Venkataraman* 

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi enters his third term in office—having completed over eleven years in power—some sections of the public have voiced concern that the government appears to have slowed down on reforms. Critics argue that, apart from the recent restructuring of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), there have been few new reform initiatives in the past fourteen months.

However, such criticism overlooks the broader context of the government’s ongoing reform agenda and the long-term nature of many initiatives launched during the first and second terms. Since 2014, a series of significant policy reforms have been introduced across diverse sectors—industrial, infrastructural, social, and environmental—aimed at both economic growth and social transformation.

Major welfare initiatives, such as large-scale housing schemes for the poor, construction of toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission, and promotion of yoga and cleanliness campaigns, have had visible impacts on living conditions and public health. Financial inclusion programmes, including the opening of zero-balance bank accounts, digitalisation efforts, Aadhaar-based services, and direct benefit transfers, have enhanced transparency and access to welfare entitlements.

On the environmental front, India’s pledge at the Paris Climate Conference to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 has been followed by concrete measures such as ethanol blending, the promotion of electric vehicles, and major investments in renewable energy. The government’s target of achieving 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030 is progressing steadily.

The effects of these reforms are evident in several sectors. For instance, India’s defence production reached an all-time high of ₹1.51 lakh crore in FY 2025, with the private sector’s share increasing from 21% in FY 2024 to 23% in FY 2025. India has also emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy, with consistent GDP growth earning positive recognition from international credit rating agencies.

Many of the reforms introduced earlier remain in various stages of implementation. This is natural for long-term structural changes that require careful execution and monitoring. The government’s current focus appears to be on consolidating and fine-tuning existing initiatives rather than announcing new ones. Reform, after all, is not only about policy announcements but also about effective, sustained implementation.

Rather than viewing the current phase as a period of inaction, it may be more accurate to see it as a stage of consolidation—where the emphasis lies on ensuring that the reforms already undertaken yield tangible and lasting outcomes. Constructive evaluation of the progress and effectiveness of these existing reforms would contribute more meaningfully to public discourse than merely calling for new measures.

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*Trustee, Nandini Voice for the Deprived, Chennai