Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India remains a well-recognized and trusted nation globally, even amidst disruptions in West Asia. Addressing the NXT Conclave in New Delhi, Mr. Modi said that the country remains stable and resilient despite the challenging situation in the region. He said that the government is closely monitoring the situation to address disruptions in supply chains caused by the conflict in West Asia.
He reaffirmed the government's commitment to addressing challenges related to the energy sector and said that efforts are being made to encourage oil production, expand energy access, and strengthen self-reliance in the sector. The Prime Minister assured that the government is making every possible effort to ensure that the burden of conflict situations does not fall on citizens. He said that all steps will be taken to ensure that global conflicts have minimal impact on farmers and the public.
Mr. Modi added that with the government's continuous efforts, the situation will be effectively tackled, and every decision will be taken for the betterment of the people. He said that the nation has made significant progress in capacity building in the petroleum and diesel sector. Referring to the recent visits of the President of Finland and the Prime Minister of Canada, he said that global leaders are keen to strengthen cooperation with India and acknowledge the country's rapid growth.
The Prime Minister said that India is shaping global frameworks and contributing actively to building a new international order. He said that the country is moving towards next-generation digital infrastructure. Highlighting the implementation of Unified Payments Interface, Mr. Modi said that India has emerged as the fastest-moving country in real-time digital payments. Referring to the vision of viksit bharat, Mr. Modi said that the country is undertaking next-generation reforms to accelerate growth.
He added that despite many global crises, world leaders and experts look at India with great hope. The Prime Minister said that if one wants to be part of the future, one has to be in India, adding that the country is not just progressing but moving to the next stage of development. Mr. Modi noted that in 2014 there were around 14 crore LPG connections in the country, which has now increased to 33 crore. Emphasizing the importance of public trust and awareness, he said that every citizen has a role to play in helping the country navigate challenging times. He added that over the last decade, bottling capacity has also been doubled while distribution centres have increased from about 13,000 to 25,000.
The Prime Minister also stressed that India should not remain solely dependent on foreign sources for energy and highlighted the need to achieve self-reliance in the energy sector. He noted that the number of LNG terminals in the country has also doubled in 2014. The Prime Minister noted that before 2014 the country had almost no strategic petroleum reserves, but today the country has established more than five million tonnes of Strategic Petroleum Reserve capacity, with work underway to further expand it.