Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday held up Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as exemplars of ‘design thinking’ in governance, arguing that structured planning, innovation and entrepreneurship were the bedrock of India’s development strategy. Goyal was speaking at the inauguration of the Innovation and Incubation Centre at the National Institute of Design (NID) in Gandhinagar.

What Goyal Said at NID

“If there are role models for this, then Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are those role models,” Goyal said, characterising their governing style as one of ‘meticulous planning, detailing and executing programmes in a structured way.’

He argued that design extended well beyond aesthetics or products, calling it ‘an entire way of thinking’ that should permeate governance and industry alike. The minister also underscored that no nation had achieved developed-economy status on the strength of natural resources or population alone, insisting that ‘innovation, design thinking and entrepreneurship’ were the true engines of prosperity.

India’s Historical Innovation Legacy

Goyal drew on India’s ancient heritage to make his case, citing Vastu-based architectural principles, mathematics, the surgical traditions of Sushruta, and the rust-resistant Iron Pillar of Delhi as evidence of deep-rooted innovation capabilities. “There is the Iron Pillar in Delhi from Emperor Ashoka’s time, which never rusts. That means how much research and innovation we had in metallurgy,” he said.

The minister contended that decades of colonial rule had eroded that culture of innovation, but maintained that India was now actively reclaiming those strengths. “We have to define the destiny of Bharat in the 21st century. Design, innovation and research are the roadmap towards a developed and prosperous country,” he added.

Gujarat as an Entrepreneurial Model

Goyal described Gujarat as an ‘entrepreneurial powerhouse’ under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, pointing to a blend of modern sectors—semiconductors, electronics, defence and aerospace—alongside traditional industries such as gems, jewellery, diamonds and textiles. “Entrepreneurship exists in Gujarati DNA itself,” he said. “Gujarati brothers and sisters will always find opportunities in new ways.”

Role of the New Innovation Centre

The newly inaugurated Innovation and Incubation Centre at NID is intended to foster collaboration among students, faculty and industry, encouraging what Goyal called ‘out-of-the-box thinking.’ He stressed that the real measure of innovation was not technological sophistication but its tangible impact: “Innovation should create jobs, improve productivity and strengthen the economy.”

Looking ahead, Goyal said India’s future economy would hinge increasingly on artificial intelligence, automation, skilled manpower, creative design and technology-driven manufacturing, rather than on low-cost labour alone. The inauguration aligns with the government’s broader Viksit Bharat @2047 roadmap, which places design and innovation at the centre of long-term national development.