Ahmedabad, Feb 7 (NationPress) Gujarat BJP President Jagdish Vishwakarma remarked on Saturday during the ‘Young Entrepreneurs Dialogue’ held in Ahmedabad that India has evolved into a nation noted for exporting ideas instead of relying on imports.

This event, hosted by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and i-hub at the KCG auditorium, gathered young entrepreneurs from various parts of Gujarat to engage in discussions surrounding innovation and startup development.

Vishwakarma pointed out India’s significant progress over the past 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the country’s shift from a predominantly agricultural economy to robust growth in sectors such as rural, industrial, medical, digital, tourism, defence, and green industries.

He asserted that the government's focus on recognition, resolution, and recapitalisation has fostered an environment conducive to innovation and industrial development.

Vishwakarma noted the remarkable expansion of the Indian startup ecosystem since its inception in 2016.

He shared that India currently boasts over 200,000 startups and more than 110 unicorns, attributing these milestones to government initiatives aimed at empowering youth, women, farmers, and entrepreneurs.

He highlighted India's growing self-sufficiency in emerging and strategic industries, stating that advancements in biotechnology, space technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, nuclear science, green energy, and defence are positioning India as a leader in global innovation.

Furthermore, he mentioned that defence exports have surged to Rs 37,000 crore and that improvements in medical infrastructure are establishing India as a key destination for medical tourism.

The program also included direct dialogues with young entrepreneurs, who shared their experiences regarding government schemes and the assistance received in scaling their businesses.

Entrepreneurs from Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Mehsana, Valsad, Anand, Kheda, and Surendranagar participated, representing sectors like deep technology, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, defence, and cleantech. Notable participants included MP Hemang Joshi, i-hub CEO Hiren Mahanta, and former All India CA Association President Aniket Talati.

Vishwakarma concluded by stressing the importance of youth in driving India's growth. “This is the era of India, India’s youth, and innovation,” he proclaimed, reiterating the government’s dedication to fostering a supportive environment for startups and entrepreneurship across the nation.