India has had 15 Prime Ministers since gaining independence on August 15, 1947. The following table summarizes each Prime Minister’s tenure and key works or achievements, drawing from historical records up to 2025. It highlights key thematic achievements across eras for better readability and contrast with PM Modi’s tenure (2014–2025), focusing on economic, social, and foreign policy pillars.
| Theme | Pre-2014 Prime Minister Achievements | PM Modi Achievements (2014–2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Reforms | Jawaharlal Nehru introduced Five-Year Plans for industrialization. P. V. Narasimha Rao initiated the 1991 economic liberalization that ended the License Raj. | Implemented the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to unify indirect taxes. Launched Make in India to boost manufacturing. Cut corporate tax to 22% for domestic companies. |
| Social Welfare | Indira Gandhi nationalized banks and led the Green Revolution. Manmohan Singh introduced MGNREGA to provide rural employment. | Swachh Bharat Mission built over 12 crore toilets. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) provided around 4 crore homes. Ayushman Bharat offered health insurance coverage to about 50 crore citizens. |
| Infrastructure | Atal Bihari Vajpayee launched the Golden Quadrilateral highway project. Rajiv Gandhi modernized the telecom sector. | Jal Jeevan Mission delivered around 15 crore tap water connections. UDAN made regional air travel affordable. Launched 100 Smart Cities and began rural 5G rollout. |
| Foreign Policy | Vajpayee conducted the Pokhran-II nuclear tests. I. K. Gujral promoted the Gujral Doctrine for better relations with neighboring countries. | Abrogation of Article 370. Hosted the G20 Summit in 2023. Strengthened the QUAD and provided global aid through Vaccine Maitri. |
| Digital & Innovation | Rajiv Gandhi expanded the IT sector. Manmohan Singh implemented the Right to Information (RTI) Act. | Digital India expanded rural broadband access. The JAM trinity enabled Direct Benefit Transfers. UPI transformed digital payments with over 13 billion monthly transactions. |
Prime Ministers of India vs. PM Modi’s Works (Side-by-Side Table)
| Prime Minister | Key Works & Achievements During Tenure | Comparable / Expanded Works Under PM Narendra Modi (2014–2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964) | Founded IITs/IIMs, Non-Aligned Movement, Five-Year Plans, Princely state integration | “Make in India”, Digital India, Skill India, industrial corridors, constitutional integration (e.g., J&K reorganization) |
| Gulzarilal Nanda (Acting 1964 & 1966) | Stability during transitions, labor rights | Labor code reforms, e-Shram portal, social security for unorganized workers |
| Lal Bahadur Shastri (1964–1966) | Green Revolution, White Revolution, Tashkent Agreement | PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana, PM-KISAN (income support), dairy digitization, foodgrain surplus |
| Indira Gandhi (1966–1977, 1980–1984) | Bank nationalization, Green Revolution expansion, Bangladesh liberation, 20-Point Programme | Jan Dhan (50+ crore accounts), Ayushman Bharat, Beti Bachao, women-led SHGs, Article 370 abrogation |
| Morarji Desai (1977–1979) | 44th Amendment (civil liberties), rural development | Decriminalization via Jan Vishwas Act, Gram Sadak Yojana expansion, e-governance laws |
| Charan Singh (1979–1980) | Farmer-focused policies, land reforms | PM-KISAN, MSP hikes, Fasal Bima Yojana, Kisan Credit Cards |
| Rajiv Gandhi (1984–1989) | Telecom & IT modernization, Panchayati Raj push, anti-License Raj steps | Digital India, UPI, 5G rollout, e-Gram Panchayat, JAM DBT system |
| V. P. Singh (1989–1990) | Mandal Commission (OBC quota), SC/ST Act | 10% EWS reservation, women’s reservation bill, OBC/EWS scholarships |
| Chandra Shekhar (1990–1991) | Managed economic crisis, coalition stability | COVID economic handling, record forex reserves, welfare rollout during crisis |
| P. V. Narasimha Rao (1991–1996) | 1991 Liberalization, FDI, Look East Policy | Ease of Doing Business reforms, Production Linked Incentives (PLI), QUAD partnerships |
| Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1996 & 1998–2004) | Pokhran-II, Kargil War, Golden Quadrilateral, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan | Bharatmala, Gati Shakti, UDAN, New Education Policy, Chandrayaan & Gaganyaan |
| H. D. Deve Gowda (1996–1997) | Delhi Metro launch, rural focus | Smart Cities & Smart Villages, metro expansion, AMRUT urban missions |
| I. K. Gujral (1997–1998) | Gujral Doctrine (neighborhood-first diplomacy) | Vaccine Maitri, QUAD, G20 Presidency, Indo-Pacific strategy |
| Manmohan Singh (2004–2014) | MGNREGA, RTI Act, Indo-US Nuclear Deal, high GDP growth | DBT via JAM, GST, Insolvency Code, Corporate tax cuts, 25 crore people lifted from poverty |
| Narendra Modi (2014–2025) | GST, Digital India, UPI, Ayushman Bharat, Article 370 removal, PMAY (4 cr homes), Swachh Bharat (12 cr toilets), Jal Jeevan Mission (15 cr taps), G20 2023, Vaccine Maitri, UDAN, 5G, Mudra Loans, 81 cr free ration, 10 cr LPG connections | Benchmark column – achievements already listed at left |
Governance Track Record
Comparison to PM Narendra Modi’s Works (2014–2025)Narendra Modi, the 15th and current Prime Minister since May 26, 2014, has focused on economic reforms, digital transformation, and welfare for the marginalized, building on predecessors’ foundations while introducing large-scale initiatives.
His tenure contrasts with earlier PMs through emphasis on technology-driven governance, global diplomacy, and rapid infrastructure scaling, achieving milestones like lifting 25 crore people out of multidimensional poverty.
Key works include:Economic and Tax Reforms: Implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST) unifying indirect taxes; reduced corporate tax to 35% for foreign firms; repealed over 1,500 obsolete laws and decriminalized 183 provisions via Jan Vishwas Act; launched Make in India for manufacturing boost.
Welfare and Poverty Alleviation: Expanded PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana to 81 crore beneficiaries with free food grains; built 12 crore toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission, achieving 100% sanitation coverage; provided 4 crore homes via PMAY and 15 crore tap water connections via Jal Jeevan Mission.
Digital and Financial Inclusion: Rolled out Digital India for high-speed internet in rural areas; provided 52 crore Mudra loans for small businesses; launched Ujjwala Yojana giving free LPG to 10 crore rural households, increasing access by 24%; enabled direct benefit transfers via JAM trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile).
Infrastructure and Connectivity: Developed highways, railways, and UDAN scheme for affordable air travel; completed rural electrification and expanded 5G; initiated Smart Cities Mission for 100 urban hubs and Smart Villages for rural tech access.
Social and Legal Reforms: Abrogated Article 370 revoking Jammu & Kashmir’s special status; criminalized triple talaq; introduced three new criminal laws; reserved 10% jobs for economically weaker sections; launched Beti Bachao Beti Padhao for gender equality.
Foreign Policy and Global Standing: Hosted G20 Summit 2023 as first-time president; strengthened ties with US, QUAD nations; promoted Vaccine Maitri during COVID-19; elevated India to fifth-largest economy with record exports.
Environmental and Health Initiatives: Boosted Green India Mission budget; launched Ayushman Bharat covering 50 crore for healthcare; focused on clean Ganga and renewable energy, saving lives through sanitation per WHO estimates.
In comparison, previous PMs like Nehru and Rao laid economic foundations through planning and liberalization, while Shastri and Indira Gandhi emphasized agriculture and security.
Modi’s approach scales these via technology and inclusivity, such as digitizing welfare unlike Singh’s analog reforms, and accelerates infrastructure beyond Vajpayee’s highways. However, challenges like Manipur violence highlight ongoing issues in internal stability, similar to past insurgencies under V. P. Singh.
