New Delhi, Feb. 5 -- Countries with a strong production ecosystem inevitably attract global partners, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, as he showcased India's recent trade push, including the India-US deal, as the result of sustained economic reforms and a strengthening manufacturing base.

"When you have a strong ecosystem for manufacturing, the world will want to deal with you," Modi said while replying to a motion of thanks on the President's address in Rajya Sabha amid opposition uproar.

Framing the current phase as decisive for India's long-term trajectory, Modi said that the second quarter of this century would be vital in building a Viksit Bharat. India, he said, had moved beyond the "Fragile Five" phase, and was now...