Modern farming essential to India's development vision, PM Modi tells agriculture conference

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday underscored the centrality of agricultural modernization to India's development agenda, stating that the country cannot achieve its vision of becoming a developed economy without fundamentally transforming farming practices and productivity.

Addressing delegates at the India Agriculture Conference 2026, Modi emphasized the need to make farming smarter and more efficient while addressing the traditional role of farmers as the nation's food providers. He linked agricultural advancement directly to broader economic progress, framing the sector as pivotal to India's future trajectory.

Highlighting recent performance, Modi noted that India's agricultural sector has maintained an average growth rate exceeding 4 percent over the past decade, demonstrating the potential of the farming economy despite persistent structural challenges. This growth, he suggested, reflects both existing progress and the opportunity for accelerated development through continued reforms and innovation.

The Prime Minister's remarks come as policymakers focus increasingly on agricultural modernization, including new crop varieties and technology adoption, as key drivers of rural prosperity and food security across the country.