Modi Hails Start-up India Leap, Calls for Quality-Driven Viksit Bharat
Modi Hails Start-up India Leap, Calls for Quality-Driven Viksit Bharat
PM Modi revisits 2016 Start-up India launch, lauds India's growing startup ecosystem and pushes a quality-first path toward a Viksit Bharat, ahead of AI summit in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the first Mann Ki Baat of 2026 with a nostalgic nod to 2016, recalling the launch of Start-up India as an ambitious journey many did not fully understand at the time. He spoke on the eve of Republic Day, paying tribute to the Constitution and highlighting National Voters’ Day on January 25 as the pulse of democracy. The Prime Minister said he too wanted to relive the memory of the bold move that set India on a path toward greater entrepreneurial energy.
Modi celebrated how India has transformed into the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem, with young founders working in sectors once deemed unimaginable—AI, space, nuclear energy, semiconductors, mobility, green hydrogen and biotechnology. He lauded the grit of entrepreneurs who stepped out of their comfort zones, stressing that the world is now watching India’s rising economic trajectory.
He used the moment to reiterate a manufacturing and industry quality crusade: “quality, quality and only quality” should be the mantra, echoing his Zero Defect, Zero Effect slogan from last Republic Day. He urged makers—from textiles to electronics to packaging—to make top quality synonymous with Indian products as the nation pursues a Viksit Bharat, or developed India.
The PM also flagged the India AI Impact Summit, to be held in New Delhi from February 15-20, inviting heads of state, global CEOs and experts to discuss progress in artificial intelligence. While reflecting on the nation’s startup journey, Modi reaffirmed the voter’s central role and the ongoing push to build a knowledge-driven, export-ready economy.
The address reinforced a broader vision: celebrate young founders, recognize where Start-up India began, and demonstrate tangible progress that aligns with a modern, quality-first India on the global stage.
