'Viksit Bharat' Before 2047 With Robust Startup Ecosystem: Hardeep Puri

Riding on the overall economic growth across the spectrum, especially in the vibrant startup and unicorn ecosystem, India can achieve 'Viksit Bharat' status even before 2047, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday.

Addressing startup/unicorn founders and innovators during the 'Digital Bharat, Viksit Bharat' event in the national capital, the Union Minister said that India is the only economy that is growing, even at the most conservative estimate, at over 7 per cent, to become the fourth and then the third-largest world economy sooner than expected.

"This will happen only because of the quality of the transformation that has been facilitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and its conducive policies," he told the gathering.

Startups emerging from small cities and from less-privileged backgrounds, were not even conceivable 10 years ago, he noted. "During the previous regimes, the only criteria required to become successful were connections.

This is no longer the case, as innovation is now happening in small towns and cities," Hardeep Singh Puri said. India is now home to more than 100 unicorns (with a valuation of USD 1 billion and above) and over Rs 1.25 lakh startups.

"India is third in the number of unicorns, second in the total number of startups, and the first nation in creating new startups," the Union Minister said.