NEW DELHI, March 28, 2025 -- TIMES NETWORK, India's leading broadcast network, concluded Day 1 of its latest edition of TIMES NOW Summit 2025, co-presented by Dream Sports and Powered by Pernod Ricard India. Returning with the powerful theme 'Keeping Bharat Ahead,' the distinguished platform celebrated achievements, assess current progress, and define the roadmap across key sectors, including governance, economy, national security, infrastructure, health, diplomacy, and technological innovation.

The inaugural session saw Vineet Jain, MD of The Times Group, and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw light the ceremonial lamp, marking the beginning of two days of high-impact deliberations aimed at shaping India's growth story. Throughout the day, industry experts and policymakers engaged in insightful discussions.

Mr. Vineet Jain, MD of The Times Group inaugurated the event with his vision of a progressive Bharat said, "Bharat is not just a nation. We are an ancient civilization, known for wisdom and resilience, shaping the world throughout history. As we step into an era of unprecedented global transformation our challenge is clear, how do we ensure that Bharat doesn't just keep pace with the world, but leads it."

Mr Jain said that he was highly impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Bharat fusing tradition and innovation. "In fact, I was struck by PM's recent podcast where he outlined his vision of Bharat fusing tradition and innovation --and progressing steadily while still being anchored to the nation's spiritual and cultural foundations."

Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology said, "Today, we are the second largest 5G country, our railways are becoming the second largest carrier at 1.6 billion tons this year, and our highways network is among the largest in the world. We have doubled the number of medical colleges and IITs in the last decade. We have five semiconductor units under construction and will soon see our first Indian chip rollout, with telecom manufacturing significantly growing."

Speaking on the freedom of speech in India, he stated, "I would like to very categorically say that we have to work as a society. We should work within the framework of our Constitution where the freedom of speech, freedom of expression is very well laid out. The constitution has also laid certain safeguards on it and those safeguards are as important as the rights because if everybody follows the proper safeguards then the society will work in a harmonious way. And ultimately, what is right in a different society, let's say the Western society, may not be right in our society. There are different cultural contexts of everything. "

Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, shed light on the government's decision on implementing UCC in Uttarakhand, ban reels near Char Dham temples, and more. He added, "Uttarakhand is a very peaceful state. Everyone lives in brotherhood and harmony. We promised the people during the elections that we would bring the UCC, and we have fulfilled our promise. The UCC, we consulted with all sections of society, incorporating people's opinions and thoughts into the draft. The UCC is a law for complete protection."

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, discussed the ambitious expansion of national highways, revealing, "We plan to construct express highways where the traffic density exceeds 10,000 vehicles, converting 25,000 kilometers from two-lane to four-lane within two years—a big announcement!"

Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry rounded off the day with his perspective, "To make India a developed nation, we are targeting an economy of $30-35 trillion by 2047. This journey rests on three pillars—strengthening macroeconomic conditions, ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth, and driving investment and consumption-led expansion. India is the world's fastest-growing economy, and with a focus on infrastructure, digital connectivity, and innovation, we are creating an environment conducive to trade and investment. Engaging with the world from a position of strength and self-confidence is key to achieving Viksit Bharat, and under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, we are committed to making every citizen's life better and better."

The summit was graced by many esteemed dignitaries and celebrities, including Sara Ali Khan and Mohit Chauhan, as well as Smriti Irani, further enriching the discussions with their insights.

The event is supported by key State Partners, including the Governments of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Haryana; Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as Knowledge Partner, Ekam as Associate Partner, Da Milano as Luxury Partner, Bennett University as Education Partner and Times OOH as Outdoor Partner.

For more details, visit - https://www.timesnowsummit.com/

TIMES NOW 

TIMES NOW has been India's No. 1 English News channel for over a decade now. It is a channel that stands for credibility and unbiased approach in bringing news and reportage to the viewers. Sharp, incisive and direct, TIMES NOW is the nation's voice in news. Its distinctive style and fearless approach make it different from the others. TIMES NOW engages with viewers in 100 countries across the globe. For further information visit – www.timesnownews.in 

 

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