February 09, 2026

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DELIVERING STABILITY

IN a world that appears unmoored and disorderly, economic anxiety and political turmoil ripple across continents and even spill into our own neighbourhood. There is, as a foreign policy expert put it, a daily discovery and rediscovery of this global and regional churn. Amid this turbulence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands out in sharp relief, demonstrating rare political and economic resilience. In an era defined by flux, Modi's leadership has come to symbolise stability even as the world lurches from one crisis to the nextThat is a major reason why the latest biannual india today-CVoter Mood of the Nation (MOTN) poll gives the prime minister a resounding endorsement both in terms of personal popularity, his government's performance and the parliamentary standing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The turnaround in the ruling party's underwhelming performance in the 2024 general election has been quite astonishing. The party's tally of 240 out of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha was 32 seats short of

RIDING THE GROWTH WAVE

At the start of the New Year, India appears securely in the growth saddle. A combination of factors in 2025--benign inflation, tweaks to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and cuts in direct taxes--has nudged consumption upward, delivering 8.2 per cent growth in the second quarter of the current financial year (FY26). This is not only higher than the 7.2 per cent recorded in the first quarter, but also above the expectations of many agencies, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Even as questions persist over whether the data fully captures the economy's underlying realities, there is reason for optimism. The Centre now projects 7.4 per cent growth for FY26, suggesting that the momentum built in the second quarter is likely to sustain--barring surprises. Potential surprises, most notably US policy shifts under US president Donald Trump, could yet play spoilsport in what is otherwise being hailed as a `Goldilocks moment' of strong growth and low inflation. The latest india today Mood of the Nation (MOTN) survey reflects this optimism. Asked about the Modi government's handling of the economy, 48.8 per cent of the respondents rated it `good' or `outstanding', up slightly from August 2025. Those rating it `poor' or `very poor' fell to 28.6 per cent from 30.2 per cent. This shift is mirrored in expectations for the coming six months, with 35.8 per cent anticipating economic improvement, up from 33.1 per cent previouslyGROWTH IN COMMAND In the current MOTN poll, 53.5 per cent say Prime Minister Narendra Modi has managed the economy better than the late PM Manmohan Singh, up from 44.6 per cent in August 2025. About 35 per cent report improved personal economic status since 2014, slightly higher than 33.1 per cent earlier. Yet, 31.6 per cent--though down from 33.7 per cent in August 2025--say their economic situation has deteriorated, underscoring the need to make growth more inclusiveTwo key measures in 2025 aimed to put more money in people's hands.