The prime minister of India has highlighted India’s rapid progress in the digital and innovation sectors, noting that the number of internet users has nearly quadrupled during the period under review. He also pointed to a fourfold rise in patent grants and an almost 100-fold increase in digital transactions, saying these developments have contributed to the expansion of India’s digital and innovation ecosystem.
India has also witnessed substantial growth in manufacturing, according to the prime minister. Defence production has increased nearly fourfold, while electronics manufacturing has grown almost sevenfold and mobile phone production has expanded 35 times.
Speaking about emerging technologies, the prime minister said India has progressed from having no major semiconductor manufacturing facility to developing an end-to-end domestic semiconductor ecosystem. Three semiconductor plants have been initiated, with the country also beginning to export semiconductor chips.
He also stressed that energy security is critical to India’s development ambitions, particularly as technologies such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and data centres require substantial amounts of electricity.