India will have an upper hand in AI: PM Modi at Startup Mahakumbh

The prime minister Modi said that he is making use of AI technology for his election campaign

India will lead the world in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, asserting that the AI leadership should remain in the Indian hands.

Addressing the ‘Startup Mahakumbh’ event, the prime minister lauded the country’s startup ecosystem and encouraged entrepreneurs to create Indian solutions for global applications.

"We are in a new era of AI technology, and the world acknowledges that India will have an upper hand in AI. It is now our priority to ensure that we do not let go of this opportunity," he said.

Modi said initiatives like the National Quantum Mission, India AI Mission, and the India Semiconductor Mission will create numerous opportunities for young innovators and global investors.

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"The leadership of AI capabilities will and should remain in the hands of India...I am confident that the spirit of 'Indian solutions for global applications' will be a force...solutions by Indian innovators will solve problems for many countries," he said.

The prime minister said he was making use of AI technology for the election campaign and sharing his statements in Tamil, Telugu and other languages.

Vowing to make India the world's third largest economy in his third term, Modi said the startups will play a big role in India's progress.

“India is the third largest startup ecosystem with 1.25 lakh registered startups, employing about 12 lakh youth. We have more than 110 unicorns. Our startups have filed about 12,000 patents,” he said, adding that a better mechanism for funding startups was currently in the works.

The prime minister said the startup revolution was being led by youth from Tier-II and Tier-III cities in a wide range of sectors including agriculture, textiles, medicine, transport, space, yoga and Ayurveda. The Indian youth are choosing to become “job creators” rather than “job seekers,” he said.

He underlined the role of the National Research Foundation and a Rs 1 trillion fund for research and innovation via the interim Budget to address future needs in the sunrise sector areas.

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Emphasising the country’s roadmap for becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047, he acknowledged the presence of investors, incubators, academicians, researchers, industry members, and present and future entrepreneurs.

“This is indeed a Mahakumbh in its truest form, creating an unprecedented energy and vibe…Any Indian visiting the Start-up Mahakumbh will witness the unicorns and decacorns of the future,” Modi said. 

More than 45 per cent of startups in the country are women-led, be it in education, agriculture or health, Modi said. He also highlighted the role of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in becoming a pillar of support for the fintech startups, which lead the development of innovative products and services for the expansion of digital services in the country.

“India has democratised the use of technology. We have risen above the haves and have-nots debate,” he said.

The prime minister urged startups and industry stakeholders to give back to society, asking them to visit incubation centers, schools and colleges, and share their insights with students. He encouraged businesses and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to follow suit.

The three-day event, which kicked off on March 18, was organised by industry bodies like the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (Assocham), Nasscom, Bootstrap Incubation and Advisory Foundation, TiE and Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA). The event concluded after the prime minister’s session.