New Delhi: India’s democracy and demography was a beacon of hope for the world, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM in his address to the media at the Parliament complex ahead of the Budget Session, he urged the MPs to work collectively for national growth.

A day after President Droupadi Murmu appealed for unity on national issues. Our government believes in reform, perform and transform, he said. The nation is moving rapidly on the Reform Express, he added. Referring to the President’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses on Wednesday, he said it reflected the self-confidence of 140 crore Indians and articulated the aspirations of the people, especially the youth. The President’s address has laid down guiding thoughts for all honourable MPs, adding that the Budget Session was a crucial one.

The country had entered a decisive 25-year phase to achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047, he said. This is the first Budget of the second quarter of this century, he added. He noted that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would present the Budget for the ninth consecutive time, becoming the first woman finance minister to do so. Modi described it as a moment of pride in India’s parliamentary history.

A self-confident India had emerged as a ray of hope and a centre of attraction for the world, he said. He described the FTA signed with the European Union as the mother of all deals aimed at aspirational youth and a self-reliant India.

Emphasising the importance of quality products and setting benchmarks in India’s manufacturing drive. If we go with top-class quality, we will not only earn revenue from buyers across the EU, but we will also win their hearts, he said.