New Delhi, Mar 21 (KNN) In a recent address at the Startup Mahakumbh event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi heralded India's rising prowess in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. 

Asserting that India is poised to take the lead in AI, Modi urged startups to capitalise on this burgeoning technology.

Modi emphasised the transformative potential of AI, highlighting its relevance in various domains including the ongoing Lok Sabha election campaigns where he personally utilised AI to overcome language barriers. 

He underscored India's exponential growth in the startup ecosystem, with the nation now boasting the third-largest startup community globally, a remarkable leap from fewer than 100 startups in 2014 to a staggering 1.25 lakh today.

Reflecting on the societal shift towards embracing entrepreneurship, Modi described startups as a burgeoning social culture, empowering millions of youth across the nation. 

He particularly commended the significant role played by startups from smaller cities, catalysing innovation across diverse sectors such as agriculture, textiles, medicine, transportation, space technology, yoga, and Ayurveda.

Modi spotlighted the burgeoning space startup sector, citing Indian startups engaged in over 50 facets of space technology, including the development of space shuttles. 

He attributed the success of the startup revolution to the government's initiatives such as the Startup India mission, which provides a platform for nurturing innovative ideas, facilitating access to funding, and establishing incubators within educational institutions.

The three-day Startup Mahakumbh event, jointly organised by prominent industry bodies including Assocham, Nasscom, and TiE, served as a testament to India's vibrant startup ecosystem, fostering collaboration, innovation, and growth. 

As India continues to chart new frontiers in technology and entrepreneurship, the vision articulated by PM Modi underscores the nation's unwavering commitment to harnessing the power of AI for socio-economic advancement.

(KNN Bureau)