External Affairs Minister of India Dr. S. Jaishankar today inaugurated the Sri Lankan exhibition “Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential To be There”, at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi. Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India, Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi was also present on this occasion.

The historic exhibition which features the works of Sri Lanka’s iconic architect the late Geoffrey Bawa, is jointly organized by the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi and the Geoffrey Bawa Trust to mark the 75th anniversary of Indo-Lanka diplomatic relations, which falls this year.

A large number of invitees including diplomats, senior officials of the Government of India, academics, journalists, art lovers and professionals attended the ceremonial opening of the exhibition. Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda, Director of the National Gallery of Modern Art Temsunaro Tripati, and Trustee of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust Sanjay Kulatunga joined External Affairs Minister Jaishankar in inaugurating the exhibition.

“Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential To be There”, the first major exhibition that draws from the archives to look at the Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa’s practice, is the first retrospective exhibition of Bawa’s works to be shown internationally since 2004. Earlier, his work had been exhibited at multiple venues in Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, North America, Australia, India, Brazil, Singapore, and Germany.

Over 120 documents from the Bawa archives are on view in the exhibition, including a section on unbuilt work and Bawa’s own photographs from his travels. It explores relationships between ideas, drawings, buildings and places, and the different ways in which images were used in Bawa’s practice.

Geoffrey Bawa has designed several iconic buildings in India as well.

“Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential To be There”, which has been organized under the Sri Lanka-India Cultural Exchange Programme, will be on display until 07 May 2023.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh informed here today that a newly created ‘herSTART’ platform has been introduced to promote women StartUps and to encourage women entrepreneurs. The new platform was recently inaugurated by the President of India, he said.

Addressing the plenary session of the Bharat Startup Summit and Expo 2023 organised by  PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Minister also informed that the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also introduced a monthly allowance of ₹20,000 for up to one year for women-led StartUps”.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that entrepreneurship is embedded in India’s economy and ethos. From the post-independence era with a handful of family controlled industries, until today when India gave more than 100 unicorns to the world, the Indian StartUp ecosystem has gained significant attention, thus making it one of the most coveted global markets, he said..

The Minister said that future trends show opportunities for StartUps to disrupt and innovate with technologies like block chain, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning, etc. With the kind of policy reforms that India is headed towards, Startups can play a big role, he added.

Highlighting the increasing presence of women as entrepreneurs, Dr Jitendra Singh said that women-led business enterprises are playing a noticeable role in society by generating employment opportunities in the country, bringing in demographic shifts and inspiring the next generation of women founders. He added that at least 36 unicorns and potential unicorns in India has at least one woman founder or a co-founder. Govt. of India is committed towards creating an enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurship through initiatives, schemes, networks and communities and activating partnerships among diverse stakeholders in the Startup ecosystem.

The Minister said, India is fast becoming a breeding ground for innovations. It is shifting to a knowledge-based economic growth model and commits to reinvent its advantages as a labour-intensive, capital-intensive, and manufacturing nation.

Highlighting the pivotal role played by Startups during the pandemic, Dr Jitendra Singh said that when the world was struggling during pandemic, Indian Startups have shifted gears, pivoted and risen to the occasion to adjust to the new normal and have shown some remarkable innovation and growth. “India is building on this momentum and aspiring to be among the top countries globally for digital businesses and Startups”, he added.

The Minister said that the Startup India Action Plan of the Government is a very important step for strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country. The action plan is intended to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation in India as an engine for both economic growth and employment generation.

Dr Jitendra Singh emphasised that today India is home to more than 93,000 DPIIT Recognized Startups and 108 Unicorns. Over the past four years, this number has been increasing exponentially, with a whopping 66% Year-on-Year growth in the number of additional unicorns being added every year. While work from home during the pandemic fuelled the growth of digital businesses in India, the incident also resulted in Startup boom.

“We are gradually transitioning from the age of unicorns to the age of decacorns. As of January 2023, 47 companies world over have achieved the decacorn status. Presently, India has five Startups namely, Flipkart, BYJU’s, Nykaa, Swiggy and PhonePe added in the decacorn cohort”, the Minister added.

The Minister said that the need of the hour is to forge partnerships with industry and also strengthening of ties between academia and industry to develop cutting edge technologies and products and deliver them in shortest possible time.

“Startups will become sustainable if Industry from the very beginning identifies the product and invest matching equity with the Government. Then we only we can realize the vision of Prime Minister for “Samarth” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat”. I assure you that funds will not be a constraint under this government to promote the innovation ecosystem in the country.”, he added.

The Minister further said that the industry members of PHDCCI have a very important role to play in this ecosystem. “I am sure that with the collective efforts of all we are poised to leapfrog from 108 Unicorns as of today to 200 unicorns in another year. I wish all the best to the young entrepreneurs who are present here and also to all my countrymen who are striving to make India the Startup hub of the world”, he concluded.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has informed that PM MITRA mega textile parks would be set up in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, MP and UP which will boost the textiles sector in line with 5F (Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign) vision. He remarked that the PM MITRA mega textile parks will provide state-of-the-art infrastructure for the textiles sector, attracts investment of crores and create lakhs of jobs.

The Prime Minister tweeted;

“PM MITRA mega textile parks will boost the textiles sector in line with 5F (Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign) vision. Glad to share that PM MITRA mega textile parks would be set up in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, MP and UP.”

“The PM MITRA mega textile parks will provide state-of-the-art infrastructure for the textiles sector, attracts investment of crores and create lakhs of jobs. It will be a great example of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make For the World.’ #PragatiKaPMMitra”

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference at Subramaniam Hall, NASC Complex, IARI Campus, PUSA New Delhi on 18th March, 2023 at 11 AM. Prime Minister will also address the gathering on the occasion.

Based on India’s proposal, the year 2023 was declared as the International Year of Millets (IYM) by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Also, in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to make the celebrations of IYM 2023 a ‘people’s movement’ and position India as the ‘global hub for millets’, all central government ministries/departments, states/UTs, farmers, start-ups, exporters, retail businesses and other stakeholders, are being engaged to promote and spread awareness about the benefits of millets (Shree Anna) for the cultivator, consumer and climate. The organization of Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in India is an important programme in this context.

The two-day global conference will have sessions on all important issues related to millets (Shree Anna) like promotion and awareness of millets among producers, consumers and other stakeholders; millets’ value chain development; health and nutritional aspects of millets; market linkages; research and development etc. The conference will be attended by Agriculture Ministers of various countries, international scientists, nutritionists, health experts, start-up leaders and other stakeholders.

Union Minister for Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal today inaugurated the 26th Convocation of Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth (RAV) and 28th National Seminar on topic Usage of Trina Dhanya (Millets) in contemporary lifestyle at New Delhi. Minister advocated young Vaidyas to prepare themselves to bring the traditional medicine and knowledge on the world map and take India to a new height and help the mankind.

Minister of Ayush was accompanied by Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, Minister of State for Ayush, Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai, Vaidya Devinder Triguna, President (Governing body), RAV, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, secretary, MoA, Shri P. K Pathak, Special Secretary, MoA, Dr. Tanuja Nesari, Director, AIIA, New Delhi, Vaidya Manoj Nesari, Adviser (Ay), MoA, RAV Director Vaidya Kousthubha Upadhyaya and other dignitaries.

Shri Sarbananda Sonowal talked about how our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicatedly worked in putting India as a global leader in Ayurveda. He further said, “It is efforts of our Prime Minister Shri Narender Modi ji that WHO established Global Centre of Traditional Medicine in India. India is now in the position to provide leadership globally in holistic health as Ayush sector has resource, opportunities and potential to do so. He urged graduating students to work with same dedication and take India to heights.”

The convocation address was delivered by Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister, Goa and he said, “RAV was conceived with an idea to promote and protect the traditional heritage of knowledge of India. I congratulate all who are graduating today and hope all of you will become volunteers to take Ayurveda to every nook and corner of the world and make our country the Vishwaguru.”

He further appealed to all the well-established practitioners and Gurus of Ayurveda to document and publish maximum number of case reports based on their practices.

MoS for Ayush Dr. Mahendrabhai Munjapara while addressing the gathering said, “The graduating students should involve themselves in new innovations in the Ayurveda sector. He urged that those in the practice domain should voluntarily come into the teaching line as a great number of students pass out from Ayurvedic colleges every year.”

Speaking on the occasion secretary Ayush Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said, “RAV had carried out several projects which were never done in the past. RAV has done a lot of unique things over the years. It was the nodal agency to implement telemedicine during COVID-19 period. Their efforts helped integrate the solution of the Ministry of Ayush with the e-Sanjeevani app. I urge renowned practitioners and Gurus to document and publish findings based on practices as much as possible.”

During the event Dr. Pramod Sawant was given fellowship of RAV and felicitated by Minister of Ayush. Other renowned Vaidyas from different parts of the country were given fellowship. A MoU was signed between RAV and Amrita school of Ayurveda, Kollam, Kerala. This MoU is aimed to develop an interactive multimedia supported web platform documenting 100 clinical cases from across the country.

Along with the convocation two day 18^th National seminar on topic Usage of Trina Dhanya (Millets) is also going on where scholars and experts from various part of country are participating.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today informed that as on 10^th March 2023, a total of 28.64 crore unorganised workers have been registered on eShram portal. State wise registration in eShram portal is annexed.

In the written reply it was stated that as on 31^st March 2022 a total of around 3250 representations have been lodged in the Grievance Management System claiming for accidental deaths/ disability by eShram registrants.

Ministry has taken several steps to provide benefits to eShram registrants such as:

1. The eShram portal is integrated with National Career Service (NCS) Portal. Till date over 13 Lakhs eShram job seekers have registered on NCS portal.
2. eShram is also integrated with Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM). PM-SYM is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme for unorganised sector workers who are aged between 18-40 years. eShram registered users can seamlessly get benefit of PMSYM Scheme.
3. eShram registrant, who is registered on NCS can avail Digital skills training which is free of cost.

“The whole country is enthused and mobilized in the spirit of Jan Bhagidari to work towards elimination of TB. Synergized with the clarion call of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji to end TB in the country five years ahead of SDG2030 target, more than 71,000 Ki-shay Mitras have come forward and are today supporting over 10 lakh TB patients through nutritional support and other means, as part of Union Government’s Ni-kshay scheme for elimination of TB through mobilization of all walks of stakeholders across corporates, NGOs, people’s representatives, individuals etc.” This was stated by Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare as he addressed the Partnership Action against Tuberculosis (PAcT) Summit, here today. Dr Mandaviya also flagged off 75 Trucks with TB awareness messages that have been provided by Apollo Tyres Foundation, who are actively supporting the Ni-kshay scheme. These trucks will travel and carry the messages of TB-free India across states.

The Union Health Minister also distributed nutrition baskets to several TB patients at the event.

The Union Health elaborated that “India’s has its own healthcare model with shared social and national responsibilities. Multi-sectoral engagement is a key pillar in supporting National TB Elimination Programme by leveraging cooperation from other stakeholders. Only through joint efforts and collaborations we can achieve the goal of making India TB free by 2025. I urge everyone to come forward in the spirit of Jan Bhagidari.” He highlighted that Nikshay Mitras not only provide financial and nutritional support to the TB patients but also personally engage with them over the Nikshay Mitra portal to ensure their overall wellbeing.

Dr Mandaviya appreciated the innovative way in which Apollo Tyres Foundation has intensified TB-Free India Campaign by engaging – Heroes on Wheels (Truck Drivers) and other vulnerable groups across 32 locations in 19 States in the country to create awareness of Tuberculosis. They have also adopted 75 TB patients under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. Noting that truck drivers form an important cohort of TB patients,  Dr Mandaviya stated that it is important to enhance awareness about TB prevention and control through timely testing, completing the treatment course, etc. He added that the initiative of 75 trucks branded with TB messages from five locations (Delhi, Mudra Port- Gujarat, Hyderabad, Jalandhar and Agartala) will boost efforts to address TB among truckers’ communities and others closely associated with the community. He also urged other corporates, institutions, trade bodies, associations and individuals to come forward and actively support India’s battle against tuberculosis.

Ms. Roli Singh, Addl. Secy & MD NHM, Health Ministry thanked the corporates and partner agencies for coming together and contributing through their own strategies towards the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. She stated that the corporate sector can play a key role in reaching the last mile and linking the community to the various initiatives of the government. She highlighted that 300 corporates have taken the corporate TB pledge.

Dr. Kuldeep Singh Sachdeva, South East Asia Regional Director, The International Union against Lung diseases and Tuberculosis, Mr. Gaurav Kumar, Chief Financial Officer, Apollo Tyres Ltd and Ms. Rinika Grover, Head, Sustainability and CSR, Apollo Tyres were present on the occasion.

The event can be watched at: https://youtube.com/live/SySolzPQFWI?feature=share

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has complimented all the healthcare workers for their efforts towards keeping India healthy. On National Vaccination Day, PM also reiterated the commitment to building a healthy India and also recalled India’s strides in vaccinating people.

Responding to the tweet thread by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, the Prime Minister tweeted;

“Compliments to all our healthcare workers for their efforts towards keeping India healthy.

On National Vaccination Day we also recall India’s strides in vaccinating people and reaffirm our commitment to building a healthy India.”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has shared an article written by the Union Minister Shri Hardeep Puri.
The Prime Minister Office tweeted :
Union Minister @HardeepSPuri articulates how renewable energy along with traditional fuels is the key to India’s energy security in Amrit Kaal… Do read!

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar today said if the Small Farmers will be empowered, it will boost India’s GDP. Speaking at an event after launching the Kisan Tak channel and its website of the India Today Group in New Delhi, he said that Small Farmers constitute 85% of the farming community and they face the challenge of lack of private investment. Farming is the backbone of India’s economy and the farm ecosystem is the main pillar of Indian economy, he added.

Shri Tomar said that the Central Government has undertaken an ambitious programme of forming 10,000 Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) with an outlay of Rs.6,865 crore to boost the economic capacity of the Small Farmers. While in the plains, 300 farmers can form an FPO, in the Hilly and North-Eastern Region 100 farmers can join to form an FPO. The FPOs can have a bargaining power to have new technologies, improved fertilizers and quality seeds as well as equipment and can add productivity through cluster farming.

Shri Tomar said that Rs.1,50,000 crore of Atmanirbhar package has been earmarked for the farmers including Rs.15,000 crore for Horticulture, Rs.20,000 crore for Fisheries, Rs.4,000 crore for Herbal Agriculture and Rs.10,000 crore for Food Processing Industries.

The Agriculture Minister said that in 2013-14 the Agriculture Budget was Rs.21,000 crore, which has been increased by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Government to Rs.1,25,000 crore at present. He informed that Rs.2,40,000 crore has been disbursed through PM Kisan Samman to 11.5 crore farmers.

Shri Tomar said that in the last nine years the Modi Government has provided a total sum of Rs.20 lakh crore as Short Term Loan to free them from the clutches of money lenders. He said that new innovations in farming as well as application of new technologies has also added to enhance productivity as well as increased production of food grains. The Minister pointed out that last year, Rs.4 lakh crore of Agri Exports has been recorded, which is the highest since Independence.

Shri Tomar said Agriculture will continue to play a major role as India, under the able guidance of PM Modi, aims to scale as a $5 Trillion economy soon and will emerge as a Developed nation during the Amrit Kaal by the year 2047. He said that in the last 8-9 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi, many concrete steps have been taken by the Government of India in the Agriculture sector, the benefits of which is evident in the farmers’ community and agriculture sector. Today the responsibility has come upon the Indian agriculture sector and our farmers to eradicate hunger from the world. Expectations from us has increased so much that instead of demanding, we have become a nation of exports.

Shri Tomar said that the Agriculture sector not only provides food grains in the country, but also provides employment in large numbers. With the hard work of farmers and research of scientists, we can meet the needs of the country as well as the world. Government of India is working sincerely to increase technical support in Agriculture. The Prime Minister has initiated the Agri Infra Fund worth Rs 1 lakh crore to fill the gaps in infrastructure, besides Rs. 50,000 crores for Allied Sectors. The work of compensating farmers for loss has also been done under the leadership of PM Modi. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is being run to provide security cover to the farmers, through which claims worth Rs 1.30 lakh crore have been disbursed so far. The Prime Minister also ensured that the farmers got at least Rs 20 lakh crore as short-term credit through the Kisan Credit Cards (KCC).

Shri Tomar said that the Prime Minister’s emphasis is on Natural Farming, it is cow-based farming, for which the government is working in Mission mode. He said that on the initiative of Prime Minister Modi, 2023 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Millets (Shree Anna). A major international event on Shree Anna is scheduled to be held in Delhi on 18 March 2023 with the Prime Minister as the chief guest. When the demand for millets will increase in the country and the world, our small farmers will be benefited.

The two-day international conference of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on “Shared Buddhist Heritage” was inaugurated at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi today, with focus on India’s civilizational connect with the SCO nations.

The session was graced by Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and DoNER Shri G.K Reddy; Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Smt Meenakashi Lekhi; Minister of State for Culture and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal; DG, International Buddhist Confederation, Shri Abhijit Halder and delegates from China, Pakistan, Russia, Bahrain, Myanmar, UAE.

On the occasion Shri G. K Reddy said that the conference will not only celebrate Buddhist common heritage but will also build stronger and deeper bonds amongst our countries. He also said that Buddhism with its profound vision of eternal harmony in the world has spread far and wide and it touched the lives of inhabitants in all the SCO countries centuries ago. Today, we have all gathered here, at a first of its kind conference, because of this underlying link that binds us. The purpose of this Conference is to renew trans cultural links and shared histories between the nations gathered here, the Minister explained.

Addressing the participants, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal said that teachings of Buddha about self-realization and self-examination are very relevant for 21st century also. The Minister suggested that the SCO countries should take up programmes and projects on our shared Buddhist heritage which binds us together .He also suggested to make Buddhist manuscripts in Pali to be translated into a common language for SCO countries and will make them accessible to all the countries.

In her address, Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi said that heritage and history connects all the SCO countries. She also said that Lord Buddha talked about value based living which  is essential for our co-existence. SCO members are connected by Buddhist  philosophy which can make SCO a formidable force in terms of ethics and value system, the Minister added

The event, a first of its kind, under India’s leadership of SCO (for a period of one-year, from 17 September, 2022 until September 2023)  brings together Central Asian, East Asian, South Asian and Arab countries on a common platform to discuss “Shared Buddhist Heritage”. The SCO countries comprise of Member States, Observer States and Dialogue Partners, including China, Russia and Mongolia. Several scholars – delegates from SCO are resenting research papers on the topic including from Dunhuang Research Academy, China; State Museum of the History of Religion, International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University, Myanmar, among others.

The two-day programme is being organized by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of External Affairs and the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC-as a grantee body of the Ministry of Culture). A number of Indian scholars of Buddhism are also participating in the event.

The aim of the Conference is to re-establish trans-cultural links, seek out commonalities, between Buddhist art of Central Asia, art styles, archaeological sites and antiquity in various museums’ collections of the SCO countries.

One of the natural marvels in this world is the evolution and spread of ideas, since times immemorial. Crossing effortlessly, formidable mountains, vast oceans and national boundaries; ideas that find a home in distant lands; getting enriched with the existing cultures.   So is the uniqueness of Buddha’s appeal.

Its universality crossed both time and space. Its humanistic approach permeated art, architecture, sculpture and subtle attributes of human personality; finding expression in compassion, co-existence, sustainable living and personal growth.

The Conference is a unique meeting of the minds, where countries from different geographical regions but with a common thread connecting them based on a shared civilization legacy, strengthened by Buddhist missionaries who played a major role in integrating various cultures, communities and regions in the entire Indian subcontinent and Asia will discuss for two days’ various themes, chalking out ways to continue the age-old bonds into the future.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that India is fast emerging as the world’s knowledge based economy and over the last few years, it has grown by leaps and bound when it comes to innovation and technology. India stands today as one of the leading nations of the world in terms of scientific and technological prowess, he said.

Addressing the plenary session of the 28th edition of The CII Partnership Summit being held in partnership with Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Innovation prowess of any country is instrumental in shaping and sustaining its industrial sectors, delivering economic growth, jobs, wealth creation and ensuring a strategic edge. The Covid-19 pandemic taught the business world an important lesson – ‘innovate or perish’.

The Minister said that India is on a mission in the very first year of Amrit Kaal. This mission is technology-driven towards achieving its aspiration of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy. “Technology will therefore be at the centre-stage in this phase of socioeconomic growth and development”, he added.

Dr Jitendra Singh emphasized that the present Government clearly puts a strong emphasis on strengthening the Nation’s ecosystem of Research, Innovation and Technology development to achieve this aspiration. He added that the technology-driven, and innovation-focused enterprises that form the bedrock of an innovation nations have moved from being a buzzword to a critical component of national economic and strategic power.

Having leapfrogged from 81st to 40th in the Global Innovation Index 2022, the Minister said that we must aspire to be in the top 25 in the near term and in the top five by India @ 100. “Our Hon’ble Prime Minister has provided a huge impetus to innovation by adding Jai Anusandhan to the country’s evergreen slogan of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan”, he added.

The Minister said that an enabling atmosphere for innovation was missing in the earlier policy initiatives and political dispensation but now that atmosphere is being provided by the political dispensation led by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Dr Jitendra Singh further highlighted that the Indian industry is the backbone of the fastest growing large economy of the world and has the potential to revolutionize and bring in a technology movement. He added that integration of Research, Start-ups, Academia and Industry is no longer an option but a dire necessity to attract young innovators in the country, particularly in the States to come out with cutting-edge and globally competitive products and solutions.

Talking further about Industry, the Minister said that the key concern is R&D contribution by the private sector, less than 40% of the national GDP. This is in contrast to the global average of over 70%, especially in developed economies. It is important for industry to scale up investing in R&D and initiate collaboration through sponsorship research with the other pillars of the Quad, supported by policy and funding from the Centre.

Talking about Startups, the Minister said that India has the third-largest startup ecosystem and is home to the fastest-growing unicorns. Startups are very important as they are a source of new ideas and technologies. He added that linking Start-Ups with Industry right from the beginning as equal stakeholders in order to ensure sustainable Start-Ups is essential. Support from industry and government is crucial. “Thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there is a new awakening that has dawned in this country regarding Start-up India and Stand-up India. The result is that from just 350 start-ups we have more than 90,000 and we have more than 100 unicorns”, he added.

Dr Jitendra Singh mentioned that today the young talent of India, including especially Women via startups or otherwise, are scripting the saga of success for a thriving innovation led economy. This is creating valuable Intellectual property and simultaneously generating sizeable employment. “As we move ahead, we must consider creating synergies of startups with large corporates for incubation and handholding. In particular, women entrepreneurs must be encouraged to participate in the research, innovation and technology ecosystem of the country”, he added.

The Minister emphasized that a seamless and collaborative innovation ecosystem will enable a dynamic ecosystem. Private-public partnerships must be aligned with the national goals. “The time is opportune to collectively harness the strengths of all the innovation ecosystem stakeholders and quickly take India to the next level of technology and innovation leadership”, he added.