Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah used the 23rd edition of the India Today Conclave, held on March 13 and 14, 2026, in New Delhi under the theme “Year of Breakthroughs and Breakdowns,” to outline the government’s governance record and electoral positioning ahead of the 2026 state assembly polls, according to India Today’s coverage of the event and the Adgully report on the conclave’s programme.
Prime Minister Modi
In his keynote address, Prime Minister Modi stated that since the commencement of his third term, decisions worth over ₹15 trillion have been taken and more than 350 reforms have been rolled out since Independence Day 2025, according to India Today. He characterised the government’s pace as operating at the speed of what he called the “Reform Express.”
Modi highlighted specific policy areas including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and youth skilling and internships as priority sectors, and stated that 250 million people had moved out of poverty over the last decade, according to India Today. He also cited the establishment of one new university every week and two new colleges every day over the same period. These are figures attributed to the Prime Minister’s own address; primary statistical verification against government data was not available for this article.
Modi directed criticism at the Trinamool Congress’s governance record in West Bengal and at the Congress over the Bharat Ratna conferred upon Bhupen Hazarika, according to India Today. He challenged critics by stating that while they focused on political opposition to his administration, he was working toward the centenary of India’s independence in 2047, according to the same source.
Home Minister Shah
Amit Shah’s address focused on national security and citizenship policy. He reiterated the “detect, delete, and deport” formulation on infiltration and stated that the Citizenship Amendment Act would not be repealed, describing it as a constitutional reality, according to India Today. He clarified that both Hindus and Muslims of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are considered “our own” under the government’s framework, and defended the CAA’s design, according to the same source.
Shah launched a sustained critique of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, questioning his parliamentary attendance and accusing him of making inaccurate statements on trade and national security on a daily basis, according to India Today. He also warned that political forces opposing the One Nation One Election initiative would face electoral consequences in states including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, according to the same source.
