Highlighting the growth of the startup ecosystem, Narendra Modi said there were fewer than 500 registered startups before 2014.
New Delhi: Lauding India’s Gen Z for their creativity and innovative ideas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Yuva Shakti is at the forefront of nation-building with its energy, purpose, and innovation.
Addressing the concluding session of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) on National Youth Day, marking the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said the initiative has, in a short span, emerged as a significant platform enabling young people to actively shape the nation’s future.
“Every year on January 12, we celebrate National Youth Day in honour of Swami Vivekananda, whose life and teachings continue to inspire us. Drawing inspiration from him, the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue was launched,” he said.
Referring to presentations made during the event, the Prime Minister said they reflected the strong resolve of India’s Amrit Peedhi to build a developed nation. He congratulated the young participants and members of Mera Yuva Bharat for the successful conduct of the dialogue.
Recalling the period before 2014, he described it as an era marked by policy paralysis, excessive red tape, and limited opportunities for youth. He said young people earlier faced cumbersome procedures for jobs, examinations, and entrepreneurship, with delayed decision-making and weak policy implementation.
“What appears abnormal today was routine a decade ago,” he said, adding that governance reforms have since transformed the experience of India’s youth.
Highlighting the growth of the startup ecosystem, the Prime Minister said there were fewer than 500 registered startups before 2014. “In the absence of a startup culture, government intervention dominated most sectors, and the talent and capabilities of our youth did not get the opportunity to fulfil their dreams,” he said.
He said his confidence in the abilities of young Indians led to a new development approach focused on empowering innovators. Initiatives such as Startup India, Digital India, Ease of Doing Business, and simplified tax and compliance regimes, he said, opened up previously government-dominated sectors and accelerated the startup revolution.
The Prime Minister added that reforms over the past decade have gained momentum with youth at their core. He cited next-generation GST reforms and tax relief up to ₹12 lakh as measures aimed at simplifying processes and boosting savings for young professionals and entrepreneurs.
Noting the rising demand for energy driven by artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, he said reforms in the civil nuclear energy sector, including the SHANTI Act, would ensure assured power supply, create large-scale employment, and generate positive spillover effects across the economy.
