— Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi today, underscoring the importance of cooperative federalism and Centre-State partnership in achieving the vision of
Viksit Bharat
. The three-day Conference is being held at Pusa, Delhi, from December 26 to 28, 2025.
The Prime Minister observed that the Conference marks another decisive step in strengthening cooperative federalism and deepening collaboration between the Centre and States. He emphasised that human capital—comprising knowledge, skills, health and capabilities—is the fundamental driver of economic growth and social progress, and must be developed through a coordinated Whole-of-Government approach.
Held under the overarching theme
‘Human Capital for Viksit Bharat’
, the Conference focused on India’s demographic advantage. The Prime Minister noted that nearly 70 per cent of the population is in the working-age group, presenting a unique historical opportunity which, when combined with economic progress, can significantly accelerate India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation.
Prime Minister Modi said India has boarded the “Reform Express”, driven largely by the strength of its young population, and empowering this demographic remains the government’s top priority. He noted that the Conference is taking place at a time when the country is witnessing next-generation reforms and steadily moving towards becoming a major global economic power.
Emphasising quality and excellence, the Prime Minister stated that
Viksit Bharat
is synonymous with high standards and urged stakeholders to move beyond average outcomes. He said governance, service delivery and manufacturing must prioritise quality, adding that the label “Made in India” should become a global symbol of excellence and competitiveness.
Highlighting the need to strengthen
Aatmanirbharta
, the Prime Minister stressed that self-reliance must be pursued with zero defect in products and minimal environmental impact, reinforcing the commitment to
‘Zero Effect, Zero Defect’
. He urged the Centre and States to jointly identify 100 products for domestic manufacturing to reduce import dependence and enhance economic resilience.
The Prime Minister also emphasised the need to map skill demand at State and global levels to better design skill development strategies. In higher education, he called for stronger collaboration between academia and industry to create high-quality talent.
On youth livelihoods, Prime Minister Modi said tourism can play a significant role, noting India’s rich heritage and history and its potential to emerge as a top global tourist destination. He urged States to prepare a roadmap for developing at least one global-level tourist destination along with a comprehensive tourism ecosystem.
Referring to sports, the Prime Minister said India must align its national sports calendar with the global calendar as the country works towards hosting the 2036 Olympics. He stressed the need to build world-class infrastructure and sports ecosystems, identify and nurture young talent, and invest consistently over the next decade. Promoting sports events at local and district levels and maintaining player data, he said, would help create a vibrant sports culture.
Prime Minister Modi announced that India will soon launch the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM) and urged States to accord it top priority by creating infrastructure to attract global companies. He highlighted the importance of Ease of Doing Business, particularly in land, utilities and social infrastructure, and called on States to strengthen manufacturing and the services sector. He said services such as healthcare, education, transport, tourism, professional services and artificial intelligence must be prioritised to make India a Global Services Giant.
On agriculture, the Prime Minister said that as India aspires to be the food basket of the world, there is a need to shift towards high-value agriculture, dairy and fisheries with a focus on exports. He pointed out that the PM Dhan Dhanya Scheme has identified 100 districts with lower productivity, and similarly urged States to identify the lowest 100 districts in learning outcomes to address gaps.
The Prime Minister also called upon States to use the
Gyan Bharatam Mission
for digitisation of manuscripts and launch special drives to digitise manuscripts available locally. He said that once digitised, AI can be used to synthesise the wisdom and knowledge contained in them.
Noting that the Conference reflects India’s tradition of collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue, the Prime Minister said the Chief Secretaries Conference has emerged as an effective institutional platform for collective deliberation. He stressed that States should align their actions with outcomes of both the Chief Secretaries and DGPs Conferences to strengthen governance and implementation.
Prime Minister Modi suggested that similar conferences be replicated at the departmental level to foster a national perspective among officers and improve governance outcomes. He also urged all States and Union Territories to prepare capacity-building plans in collaboration with the Capacity Building Commission, stressing the importance of AI adoption in governance and heightened awareness on cybersecurity.
The Prime Minister said technology can provide secure and stable solutions throughout the life cycle and must be leveraged to improve the quality of governance. Concluding his address, he urged States to prepare 10-year actionable plans based on the Conference discussions, with clear 1-, 2-, 5- and 10-year targets and regular monitoring through technology.
The three-day Conference is focusing on special themes including Early Childhood Education, Schooling, Skilling, Higher Education, and Sports and Extracurricular Activities, recognising their role in building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready workforce.
