Gulf News op-ed says Modi's I-Day speech came with credibility of fulfilled promises made during previous speeches

In the opinion piece, he said: "As an example, in 2014, in the very first speech, Prime Minister Modi promised a bank account for every Indian."

"Then only 58% Indians had it. Now everyone has it with almost 400 million new accounts opened," Mishra wrote.

Praising Narendra Modi-led government's COVID-19 induced lockdown, Mishra said: "During the recent COVID-19 induced lockdown, while many developed countries struggled to quickly reach some cash in the hands of the poor, India did it instantly within days of the lockdown utilising this DBT regime."

The mention to LAC (line of actual control) in the Prime Minister's speech was a direct reference to China, a first from the Red Fort, Mishra said.

"The import of the unambiguous assertion against expansionist forces would be unmistakably heard in all national capitals in the region," Mishra wrote in the opinion piece.

He said it is the background of this credibility, earned through delivery, that Prime Minster Modi made many game-changing promises in this years’ speech.

"Few of these stand out. Like the promise to connect every village of India by high speed broadband fibre," he said.

Mishra appreciated Modi's National Infrastructure Mission scheme and said it will provide immense opportunities for both domestic as well as foreign infrastructure players, especially from friendly countries.

He said the pitch for Aatmnirbhar Bharat has the potential to start a new era.

"The expansive pitch for Aatmnirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and the universal acclaim that the philosophy has received has the potential to start a new era," Mishra said.