National Startup Day 2026: PM Modi Urges Startups to Shift Focus from Digital to Manufacturing
On National Startup Day 2026, PM Narendra Modi urged Indian startups to shift focus from digital services to manufacturing, innovation and deep-tech growth.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a large gathering at Bharat Mandapam on January 16, 2026, marking National Startup Day and celebrating ten years of the Startup India initiative. During his address, the Prime Minister highlighted how India’s startup ecosystem has transformed over the past decade, expanding far beyond digital services into multiple sectors.
Modi said India has firmly established itself as a global leader in the digital economy and has become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. “Ten years ago, India had fewer than 500 startups. Today, we have crossed 2 lakh startups,” he said. He also noted the sharp rise in unicorns, from just four in 2014 to nearly 125 active unicorns today.
As the Startup India programme enters its next phase, the Prime Minister called on entrepreneurs to look beyond digital platforms and play a bigger role in manufacturing and product innovation.
“This is the right time for our startups to focus on manufacturing. We must create new products, build world-class quality, and lead in technology with unique ideas,” Modi said, outlining his vision for the coming decade.
He stressed that a stronger manufacturing-led startup ecosystem will be crucial to achieving the national goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. According to the Prime Minister, the next ten years should belong to manufacturing, deep technology and industrial innovation.
Assuring continued government backing, Modi said support would be expanded to make advanced technologies more accessible to startups. He highlighted strategic focus areas such as semiconductors, data centres, green hydrogen, and other critical industries where startups can scale innovation.
With India’s digital services ecosystem now mature—supported by experienced founders, enabling policies and a large domestic market—the country is well positioned to accelerate growth in hardware, deep-tech manufacturing and industrial solutions. The renewed emphasis is expected to strengthen the Made in India movement and further advance the country’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.
