Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the global narrative has changed from “Why India” to “Why not India” as a result of reforms that were introduced by his government. The prime minister said reforms like ease in labour laws, reducing red-tapism and introducing competitive tax rates have contributed in this change.

While delivering the keynote address at Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India’s Foundation Week 2020, he made a pitch for his government’s flagship “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, or self-reliant India, initiative. “Our challenge is not just to become Atmanirbhar, but to attain that goal as early as we can,” he said. “The new India is reliant on its own abilities and resources and is marching towards the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

He stressed upon the importance of the manufacturing sector and said that his government was constantly bringing about reforms for that.

PM Modi also presented the “ASSOCHAM Enterprise of the Century Award” to the Tata Group, which was received by the conglomerate’s Chairman Ratan Tata, reported PTI. “In all the years that I have been in business, I have valued what our PM has been wanting to do,” Tata said at the event. “He has led the country through the pandemic for which we should be obliged.”

ASSOCHAM, one of the top trade organisations of the country, is holding the week-long event, which started on Tuesday, on the theme of “India’s resilience: Atmanirbhar roadmap towards $5 trillion economy”. Several Union ministers have addressed the event.