Ahmedabad: Gujarat BJP President Jagdish Vishwakarma said on Saturday at the ‘Young Entrepreneurs Dialogue’ in Ahmedabad that India has transitioned into a nation recognised for exporting ideas rather than importing them.
The event, organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and i-hub at the KCG auditorium, brought together young entrepreneurs from across Gujarat to discuss innovation and startup development.
Vishwakarma highlighted India’s transformation over the past 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting the shift from a primarily agricultural economy to strong performance in rural, industrial, medical, digital, tourism, defence, and green sectors.
He further stated that the government’s emphasis on recognition, resolution, and recapitalisation has enhanced the environment for innovation and industrial growth.
Vishwakarma observed significant growth in the Indian startup ecosystem since the initiative’s launch in 2016.
He reported that India now has over 200,000 startups and more than 110 unicorns, attributing these achievements to government policies supporting youth, women, farmers, and entrepreneurs.
He emphasised India’s increasing self-reliance in emerging and strategic sectors, and stated that advancements in biotechnology, space technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, nuclear science, green energy, and defence are positioning India as a global leader in innovation.
He further noted that defence exports have reached Rs 37,000 crore and that enhancements in medical infrastructure are establishing India as a hub for medical tourism.
The programme also featured direct interactions with young entrepreneurs, who shared their experiences with government schemes and the support received in scaling their ventures.
Entrepreneurs from Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Mehsana, Valsad, Anand, Kheda, and Surendranagar participated, representing sectors such as deep technology, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, defence, and cleantech. Notable attendees included MP Hemang Joshi, i-hub CEO Hiren Mahanta, and former All India CA Association President Aniket Talati.
Vishwakarma concluded by emphasising the role of youth in India’s growth. “This is the era of India, India’s youth, and innovation,” he said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building a supportive ecosystem for startups and entrepreneurship nationwide.
