In next 10 years, India should lead startup trends and tech: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: A decade after launching the Startup India Mission, PM Narendra Modi on Friday urged Indian startups to focus on manufacturing and technology over the next decade and aim for global leadership, a message aimed at helping homegrown companies create more jobs locally and be part of the global value chain.He said indigenous startups had performed well in the digital and service sectors. "Now, it is time for our startups to focus more on manufacturing. Work on new ideas, solve problems. We have to make new products of the best quality in the world. Our goal should be that in the next 10 years, India leads the world in new startup trends and technologies," the PM said at the 10th anniversary of the Startup India initiative.The message comes amid a push for AI and other technologies and also at a time when several Chinese companies have been able to not just grow domestically but also establish a large global presence, ending the dominance of established Western giants.Modi said countries leading AI innovation would gain a strategic advantage, noting the IndiaAI Mission had onboarded over 38,000 GPUs to reduce high computing costs. He said govt was also promoting indigenous AI developed on Indian servers, alongside efforts in semiconductors, data centres and green hydrogen.He said sectors such as defence and space technology had been opened to new players, and cited the drone sector as an example where regulatory reforms and trust in innovators had transformed the landscape.

Expressing confidence in the "courage, confidence and innovation" of entrepreneurs shaping India's future, PM assured them of continued support. Calling Startup India a "revolution", Modi said it had transformed the country into the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, growing from fewer than 500 startups in 2014 to over two lakh today, including nearly 125 unicorns. "I have always emphasised risk-taking.

The work that no one is ready to do, and which previous govts avoided..., I take up as my responsibility," Modi said. "If there is a loss, it will be mine.

If there is a gain, it will benefit millions of families in my country," he said.Highlighting efforts to promote the startup ecosystem, the PM said the govt had invested Rs 25,000 crore through schemes such as Startup India Seed Fund, Space Seed Fund and NIDHI Seed Support Programme to address capital constraints. He added that a Rs 1 lakh crore research, development and innovation scheme had been launched to support sunrise and deep-tech sectors.Modi also commended women entrepreneurs, saying that over 45% of startups have a female director or partner. "In women-led startup funding, India is the second-largest ecosystem in the world."