Hyderabad, October 2026 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years of uninterrupted leadership, saying the journey reflects India’s transformation, growing confidence and rising national ambitions.
Modi completed 25 years in executive leadership on Tuesday, marking the anniversary of his swearing-in as Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001. He subsequently became Prime Minister in 2014 and has since served three terms at the Centre.
In an opinion article published in The Hindu, Naidu reflected on his own 48 years in public life and said his experience of changing governments, transforming economies, technological disruption and evolving political leadership had reinforced one lesson — that leadership matters.
Naidu said Modi’s 25-year journey stood out for what he described as clarity of vision, integrity, discipline, attention to detail and the ability to execute.
“Twenty-five uninterrupted years in executive office is an extraordinary milestone,” Naidu said, adding that the period offered an opportunity to assess how India had responded to major challenges and opportunities.
He pointed to the Covid-19 pandemic, wars, geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technological changes as some of the challenges faced during Modi’s years in executive leadership. Despite these disruptions, Naidu said, India had remained steady and continued to pursue its development objectives.
According to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, the country has expanded infrastructure at an unprecedented pace, strengthened welfare delivery, embraced technology and encouraged enterprise. He also said India had emerged with greater confidence on the global stage.
“We have expanded infrastructure at an unprecedented pace, strengthened welfare delivery, embraced technology, encouraged enterprise and emerged with greater confidence on the world stage,” Naidu posted on X while sharing his views.
He said few leaders received the opportunity to shape an entire generation, while even fewer were able to influence the broader direction of a nation.
Focus on Team India
Naidu also highlighted Modi’s emphasis on the concept of “Team India”, saying the Prime Minister had recognised that national transformation could not be driven by the Centre alone.
“As a Chief Minister first and then a Prime Minister, Mr Modi has a strong belief in ‘Team India’. He knows that India cannot be transformed from Delhi alone,” Naidu wrote.
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said this approach placed importance on cooperation between the Centre and states and on involving different sections of society in the development process.
Naidu also underlined what he described as a significant change in India’s international standing during Modi’s tenure.
He said India’s voice was now being heard with greater respect on global platforms and that the country had sought to balance its national interests with engagement across different centres of global power.
“India protects its national interest while engaging with different centres of global power, preserves strategic autonomy while building deeper partnerships, and projects its civilisational confidence as a modern, technology-driven nation,” Naidu said.
He said India’s growing international engagement was accompanied by efforts to strengthen domestic infrastructure, technology, enterprise and welfare systems.
Looking Ahead
Naidu said Modi’s 25 years in executive leadership had established a record that would now be followed by a larger challenge — determining India’s position in the decades ahead.
“Mr Modi’s 25 years in executive leadership have demonstrated the qualities such a moment demands. Twenty-five years have established his record. The next 20 years can establish India’s place in history,” Naidu said.
His remarks came as Modi marked the 25th anniversary of his entry into executive office. The milestone spans his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister from 2001 to 2014 and his subsequent years as Prime Minister.
Naidu’s assessment also placed the milestone within the broader context of India’s economic, technological and geopolitical changes over the past quarter-century. He argued that the coming decades would be equally important as the country seeks to build on the progress made so far.
For Naidu, the significance of Modi’s 25-year political journey extends beyond the tenure of an individual leader. He presented it as part of a larger period of change in which India has sought to expand its economic capabilities, strengthen infrastructure, embrace technology and play a more prominent role in global affairs.
