Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on the eve of landmark GST reforms carried a strong message on cooperative federalism as he called upon states to join the Centre’s efforts to realise the dream of a self-reliant India. Earlier, PM Modi hailed the next-generation Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms as historic and underscored the fact that the move will be a major step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat. “With these reforms, the savings of every Indian will increase, and people will be able to buy their preferred items more easily. This festive season, everyone’s happiness will multiply,” he said, adding that the new GST structure would boost India’s economic growth. Reflecting on the journey of GST, the Prime Minister recalled the challenges before 2017, when India’s tax system was entangled in a web of levies such as excise, VAT, and octroi.