August 19, 2026 1:37 PM

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I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says India’s growth driven by infrastructure, inclusion and manufacturing

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that India’s economic growth is now recognised globally and the country is growing at a growth range of six to eight per cent. He said this growth story is driven by four key pillars – investment in social, digital and physical infrastructure, inclusive growth and a strong focus on manufacturing.
 
Addressing the Uttar Pradesh-Japan Investment Summit 2026 in New Delhi today, Mr Vaishnaw said, investment is an important part of the country’s growth journey. He said, from a very minuscule public investment, today India is making sustained public investment of around 130 billion US dollars every year.
 
The Minister informed that today 99.6 per cent of the country’s railway network has been electrified. He said around 38 thousand kilometres of railway lines have been added during the last decade, along with the introduction of 162 semi-high-speed trains. Mr Vaishnaw said India now has the world’s second-largest road network. He added that around 65 thousand kilometres of highways have been added and the number of airports have been doubled during the last decade.
 
Speaking on the occasion, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the partnership between India and Japan is based on shared growth, technology and prosperity. He highlighted that Uttar Pradesh has now emerged as one of India’s top three economies and has become a growth engine of the country’s development.
 
Mr Adityanath said that over the past nine years, the state government has succeeded in nearly tripling the state budget as well as the per capita income, with a focus on security, stability and speed. The Chief Minister said, more than 96 lakh MSME units, over 35 thousand large industries and more than 22 thousand start-ups are currently contributing to and driving the growth of Uttar Pradesh’s economy.
 
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is continuously working towards prosperity and development of India, with a special focus on farmers. He said, the government’s objective is to increase agricultural production and make India the food basket of the world.
 
Mr Chouhan emphasised that farm mechanisation will play a crucial role in reducing the cost of agricultural production. He highlighted that the government is making special efforts to ensure that research and technological innovations reach directly to farmers.
 
The Minister highlighted that Uttar Pradesh has immense potential and has emerged as a hub for global investment. Mr Chouhan said that the relationship between India and Japan is not merely between two countries, but represents a confluence of two civilisations.