India's ascent to the position of the world's fourth-largest economy has sparked widespread discussion, with many attributing this achievement to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Recent reports confirm that India has surpassed Japan in economic size, a feat lauded by NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam. This milestone reflects the country's remarkable economic transformation over the past decade.
N. Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister, is among those who have publicly acknowledged Prime Minister Modi's role in this achievement. Speaking at the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting, Naidu praised India's rise from 10th to 4th largest economy under Modi's leadership and noted that the nation is on track to becoming the 3rd largest by 2047. He highlighted transformative reforms, including Digital India, GST, Startup India, PM Gati Shakti, and Jal Jeevan Mission, as initiatives that have redefined India's development landscape.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also projected India's rise, with its World Economic Outlook (WEO) report forecasting India to be the fourth-largest economy in 2025 with a GDP of USD 4.19 trillion, exceeding Japan's. The IMF data indicates a significant increase in India's per capita income, doubling from USD 1,438 in 2013-14 to USD 2,880 in 2025.
BVR Subrahmanyam emphasized the favorable geopolitical and economic environment for India, stating, "We are the fourth largest economy as I speak. We are a USD 4 trillion economy as I speak." He cited IMF data to support the claim that India's economy is now larger than Japan's and projected that India could become the third-largest economy in the next 2.5 to 3 years if current plans and strategies continue.
Chandrababu Naidu has also proposed strategies to accelerate India's progress towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. These include forming three sub-groups of state governments focused on GDP growth, population management, and technology-driven governance. The GDP growth sub-group would aim to boost investments, manufacturing, exports, and job creation through central viability gap funding for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects. The population management sub-group would focus on leveraging India's demographic advantage while addressing future challenges like aging and low fertility rates. The technology-driven governance sub-group would promote the use of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, drones, and digital platforms for real-time, citizen-centric administration.
Naidu also presented Andhra Pradesh's "Swarna Andhra @2047" vision, a roadmap integrating technology, welfare, and grassroots empowerment, as a scalable model for national development. This vision aims for zero poverty by 2029 through the P4 model, uniting government, private sector, and citizens to support vulnerable families and promote economic upliftment.
Prime Minister Modi has lauded Andhra Pradesh's reforms, urging other states to study the state's growth model. Naidu reaffirmed Andhra Pradesh's commitment to contributing to the national aspiration of "Viksit Bharat @2047," envisioning a USD 30 trillion economy marked by high-quality infrastructure, equitable development, and empowered citizens.
