On 2026-10-13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Bloomberg New Economy Forum held in Delhi. On that day he unveiled his "power to empower" vision, a phrase he also summed up in Kannada as "ಶಕ್ತಿ ಎಂದರೆ ಸಬಲೀಕರಣ". He opened with a pointed question: "The right question is: how is this power being utilised? Will technology only be beneficial for a few people or will create opportunities for crores of people? Will knowledge remain the strength of a few people, or empower everyone?" The forum marked the first time the New Economy gathering had taken place in India, a fact Modi noted when he told Mr. Bloomberg that he had chosen the right time and the right place.
Modi’s mantra rested on a clear reordering of priorities. He said, "This seeds a new thinking - power to empower. Ahead of power to control, power to enable. Ahead of Power to compete, power to cooperate. Ahead of power to succeed, power of helping others to succeed." He reminded listeners that this approach was not novel to India, noting, "This is not new to India. We have always emphasised the importance of utilisation of knowledge, money, and power. The real value of power lies in its purpose." He further stressed that the true measure of power, technology, and knowledge lies in how they are used to create opportunities for millions rather than concentrating benefit among a few. In another formulation he asked, "सही सवाल यह है कि इस शक्ति का उपयोग कैसे किया जा रहा है? क्या प्रौद्योगिकी केवल कुछ लोगों के लिए लाभदायक होगी या करोड़ों लोगों के लिए अवसर पैदा करेगी? क्या ज्ञान कुछ ही लोगों की ताकत बना रहेगा, या यह सभी को सशक्त बनाएगा?"
"Power To Empower": PM Modi's New Mantra At Key Delhi Conclave https://t.co/uuTuJdXOmU https://t.co/DhK6R6tukI
Modi highlighted India’s role as the mother of democracy, driven by a digital revolution. He declared that India is sharing its experience with Digital Public Infrastructure with other countries so that they can develop their digital systems according to their needs, a point he echoed in English: "We are sharing our experience with Digital Public Infrastructure with other countries so that they can develop their digital systems according to their needs." He also noted that today, technology is power, data is power, knowledge is power, and innovation is power, but the real question is not who holds it but how it is used.
He said India had lifted 250 million people out of poverty over the past decade.
Turning to domestic achievements, Modi cited affordable mobile data access as a foundation for inclusion. He said India had lifted 250 million people out of poverty over the past decade. On the climate front, he recalled the commitment made under the Paris Agreement: "Under the Paris Agreement, India made a major commitment to combat climate change. In 2015, we set a target to achieve 40% of our installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. India achieved this milestone in 2021—nine years ahead of schedule—becoming the first G20 country to do so." This statement wove together the 40 percent target, the 2030 deadline, the 2015 baseline, and the 2021 achievement.
Modi framed India’s outward posture as one of steady progress. He noted, "जब भी दुनिया को एक मजबूत सहारे की जरूरत होती है, भारत अपनी ज़िम्मेदारी समझता है और मदद का हाथ बढ़ाता है. हम किसी का नुकसान करके आगे नहीं बढ़ते. हम दुनिया के साथ और दुनिया के लिए आगे बढ़ते हैं"