NEW DELHI: With a couple of big-ticket trade deals in his bag within a matter of days, PM Modi asserted on Tuesday that the world is recognising India’s strength and according it renewed respect, even as he cautioned governing alliance MPs against any sense of complacency over the govt’s achievements.Addressing the BJP-led NDA parliamentary party meeting where he was felicitated for India’s trade agreements, including with EU and US, Modi said India is at the centre of an uncertain world as past alliances give way to new alignments, emphasising that the new year has been particularly encouraging for India, sources said. In this context, Modi praised the Budget for its farsightedness and strengthening India’s prospects to become developed by 2047, with FM Nirmala Sitharaman briefing MPs on its highlights. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said MPs exuded happiness over the conclusion of nine trade deals covering 39 countries and credited Modi’s leadership.NDA known for carving lines in stone, says ModiModi’s early morning post on X quoting a Sanskrit shloka to emphasise the power of self-confidence was seen as a reference to last-night’s announcement of an Indo-US trade agreement by US President Donald Trump and him. “Self-confidence is the strength that makes everything possible. This power is going to be of great help in realising people’s dreams of a Viksit Bharat,” the PM said.An MP said Modi personified confidence at the meeting, which observers pinned on the success of trade negotiations with the US, and recalled the numerous steps India took following the Covid outbreak in 2019 that have since begun bearing fruit. With India being seen as a reliable partner by many leading countries, he said his govt had stuck to its strategy and kept patience.Besides painting a bright future for the economy at the meeting, Modi expressed confidence over NDA’s political prospects, noting its triumph in a series of polls, including in assemblies and local bodies in different parts of the country.At the same time, sources said, he reminded NDA MPs that while it is easy to carve a line in butter, NDA is known for carving a line in stone. The winning streak must be maintained, Modi said, urging the parliamentarians to continue their work for the masses.He spoke of NDA’s expansion in Tamil Nadu and BJP’s win in Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation poll in Kerala to stress the alliance’s increasing acceptability.Modi said some students clear one exam in junior grade and then believe they will face similarly easy tests in senior classes, only to end up failing, remarks which some MPs interpreted as a dig at Rahul Gandhi even though he did not name anyone.Emphasising the need for MPs to remain dutiful, he praised the contribution of Rajya Sabha member C Sadanandan Master, who wears prosthetic legs after losing his limbs in a brutal attack, allegedly by Left members, to BJP.
