Voices that moved a nation: Key takeaways from News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025
Unmistakably youthful energy pulsed the summit - not just in age, but in mind-set. What stood out across two packed days was the unity of vision. Whether it was rural entrepreneurs, digital pioneers, or foreign policy veterans, all pointed to the same truth: India is moving forward, fast
New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam was charged with conviction and clarity on April 8 & 9 as the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025 brought together some of the most influential voices from India and around the world. The gravitas of the summit was unparalleled. Leaders from the government, industry, diplomacy, science, tech and the arts didn’t just speak—they engaged, challenged, and envisioned the way for a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
With the theme ‘Youthful Aspirations: Aspire. Achieve. Ascend.’, this edition of News18’s flagship summit placed India’s 420 million-strong youth at the core of its national ambition: becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Leading from the front at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025 was Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who reflected on a decade of transformation. From India’s climb to the 5th largest economy to the rollout of grassroots entrepreneurship schemes, the focus was clear: policy must unlock potential. “Eleven crore dreams have taken flight through Mudra loans in the last decade,” he said, underlining the role of the youth in turning aspiration into enterprise.
Union Ministers Shri Amit Shah, Shri Nitin Gadkari, and Dr. S. Jaishankar followed with remarkable clarity. While Shri Amit Shah addressed national unity and security head-on, Shri Nitin Gadkari brought to the fore scale and ambition, outlining ₹10 lakh crore in highway projects and a goal of building 100 km of roads every day. Dr. S. Jaishankar, meanwhile, showcased India’s rise in global diplomacy, pointing to its ability to engage with all major powers without compromise. “Few countries can speak to all sides—we can,” he declared.
Beyond politics and policy, the summit also showcased the scale of India’s real-time transformation in education and environmental action. Change makers explored the urgent need to overhaul India’s education system to meet the demands of a rapidly digitising world, and to prepare youth for jobs that don’t yet exist. Simultaneously, on-ground environmental movements being led by the youth was also in focus at the summit. This dual force of innovation and activism sparked deep discussions on tech-powered solutions to waste, water, and energy challenges.
