Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking at the inauguration of the Gujarat government’s Startup Conclave in Gandhinagar, announced that India’s ranking on the Global Innovation Index (GII) has soared from 91 in 2015 to 38 in 2025. Expressing unwavering confidence in the nation’s youth, Shah predicted that India will secure a position among the top 10 countries on the GII within the next three years, positioning the country as a global leader in innovation.
The Startup India initiative, launched in 2016 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, has been instrumental in this transformation. Shah emphasized that the campaign has shifted India’s youth from being job seekers to job creators, fostering the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. From just 500 startups in 2014, India now boasts 1.92 lakh startups registered with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Additionally, the number of unicorns has surged from four to 120, with a combined market value exceeding USD 350 million.
The conclave highlighted the inclusive growth of India’s startup ecosystem, with 52 percent of startups based in tier-II and tier-III cities and 48 percent led by women entrepreneurs. This ecosystem has generated employment for 17.90 lakh people, with an average of 17,000 startups established annually, including 9,000 in smaller cities. Shah credited the government’s comprehensive support—spanning financial, infrastructural, policy, and banking reforms—for this success. A Rs 10,000 crore Fund of Funds, increased loan limits from Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore, and various tax concessions have created a robust environment for startups to thrive.
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Shah urged industry leaders to invest in startups, noting their potential to become unicorns and generate significant returns. He also praised Gujarat’s pivotal role in India’s startup revolution, with the state leading the nation for four consecutive years. Under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s leadership, Gujarat hosts 16,000 startups, with Ahmedabad alone accounting for 6,650, ranking it among the top four cities in India. This achievement has cemented Gujarat’s status as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Union Minister’s remarks underscore India’s rapid ascent as a global innovation powerhouse, driven by a dynamic startup ecosystem and strategic government initiatives. As the nation continues to nurture talent and foster innovation, Shah’s vision of India dominating the GII by 2028 reflects the country’s ambition to lead the world in technological and economic advancement. The Gujarat Startup Conclave serves as a testament to the state’s and nation’s commitment to building a future where innovation drives prosperity.
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