PM Modi compares the Delhi Metro with the metro systems in New York, Hong Kong, and Paris

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the world is looking at India as a "bright spot of growth and hope", stressing that the country's reform journey has shifted from a "punishment model" under the earlier licence raj governments to an incentive-based approach. Addressing the Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2026, PM Modi said the world had witnessed several ups and downs in recent years and that the future of all nations was interconnected."The world has witnessed many ups and downs over the past few years, and these experiences have made one thing abundantly clear: whether one likes it or not, the futures of all nations are interconnected. Nothing is possible in isolation," the Prime Minister said. "'One Earth, One Family, One Future' was India's guiding mantra during its G20 presidency. This spirit of a shared future, along with the accompanying sense of responsibility, offers solutions to many of the challenges facing the 21st-century world.