India is not an emerging but a resurgent power that is regaining its place on the global economic map under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday at an event here.

He began his address by stating that until the 17th century, India had a remarkably strong economy, constituting over a quarter of the world’s GDP, but lost its glory due to a ”weak military and political slavery”.

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The minister asserted that the government was working on both these fronts to ensure that India regained its old glorious status. He stated that no stone was being left unturned to create a strong, young and tech-savvy military on the back of a robust defence industry that indigenously manufactured state-of-the-art weapons/equipment, while efforts were also being made to get rid of the colonial mindset.

“A strong military not only secures the borders, but also protects the culture & economy of a country. The goal is to build a strong, self-reliant and prosperous nation, which caters to its own needs as well as the requirements of friendly countries. This is an era of renaissance. It is time to re-establish India as a global superpower,” he said.

Citing a report by Morgan Stanley, Rajnath said that after naming India among the ‘Fragile 5’ economies in 2013, the investment firm recently stated that the country would be the third largest economy by 2027. He termed it as a testament to the growth of the Indian economy in recent years. He was of the view that the phrase ‘emerging power’ could be used for India in the immediate perspective, but for the long term, he viewed it as a resurgent power, which was regaining its place on the world economic map.

Rajnath listed a number of reforms undertaken by the government to facilitate the economic growth of the country. These include direct tax reforms, GST and steps to enhance ease of doing business. There has been a revolutionary transformation in all sectors and foreign investors today see India as an attractive destination, he said.

The minister also shared his insights on the PM’s vision for India to be a developed nation by 2047. The government, he said, was focusing on all sectors, including health, education, road transport, railways and border development to realise the PM’s vision.