Modi tells Indian diaspora in Jakarta: 'India's economy is driving global growth'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the Indian diaspora gathered in Jakarta that India's economy is now driving global growth, delivering a confident message about the country's economic trajectory during his visit to Indonesia. The address, which drew enthusiastic crowds, doubled as both a diplomatic signal and a rallying call to overseas Indians to remain invested — financially and emotionally — in the country's rise.

Modi framed India's progress around his government's 'Reform, Perform and Transform' mantra, a formulation he has used consistently to summarise the economic philosophy underpinning policy decisions from tax reform to infrastructure spending. The Jakarta address placed India's domestic story in an explicitly global context, with the Prime Minister positioning the country as an indispensable driver of world economic activity.

The diaspora engagement is a well-established feature of Modi's foreign visits, serving multiple purposes: it projects soft power, reinforces the government's narrative of an ascendant India, and is often used to encourage remittances and investments back home. The Indian community in Southeast Asia, including in Indonesia, represents a significant network of business and professional connections.

The Jakarta speech arrives at a moment when India's economic data — including the recently reported surge in FDI inflows — provides some concrete backing for the 'global growth engine' claim. However, analysts caution that challenges including monsoon risks, trade tensions with the US, and global uncertainty mean the optimistic framing needs to be matched by continued policy execution.

Modi's Southeast Asia tour is expected to also produce bilateral economic agreements, with investment and trade partnerships likely to be announced in the coming days.