Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 16 May told the Indian diaspora gathered in The Hague that India is dreaming big, with its youth at the forefront of a national push into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and semiconductors. Addressing the event in the Netherlands, Modi described India as being in a phase of unprecedented transformation, having emerged as a global leader in technology, innovation, and digitalisation.

India's Ambitions in AI and Emerging Tech

'Today, India is dreaming big. India's youth aspires to propel the country forward in the fields of AI and semiconductors,' Modi stated. He pointed to India's standing as home to the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, with nearly 125 active unicorns driving innovation across AI, defence, and space technology.

Modi also noted that India recently hosted what he described as the world's largest and most successful AI Summit, following the landmark G20 Summit hosted by the country. He argued that such milestones are no longer one-off achievements but have become defining features of modern India's global identity.

Digital Infrastructure and Inclusive Development

The Prime Minister highlighted India's record on large-scale digital programmes, citing the country's implementation of the world's largest unique identification programme and the world's biggest financial inclusion initiative. He added that India is currently operating the world's largest government-funded health insurance scheme, underlining the reach of its digital and social infrastructure.

'The scale and speed of digitalisation in the country are unprecedented,' Modi said, stressing that these programmes are transforming India at a pace that has drawn global attention.

Space Exploration and Scientific Milestones

Referring to India's achievements in science and space, Modi underscored that the country has reached parts of the Moon where no other nation had gone before — a reference to the Chandrayaan-3 mission's successful south pole landing. He positioned this as evidence of India's expanding capabilities in space exploration and frontier innovation.

The Role of India's Youth

'Aspirations in India are unlimited, so efforts are also becoming limitless,' Modi said, placing India's young population at the centre of the country's growth story. He described India's progress as being powered by a combination of innovation, entrepreneurship, digital infrastructure, and inclusive development — a framing that resonated with the diaspora audience.

The address comes as India accelerates investments in its domestic semiconductor mission and AI policy framework, with the government having committed significant outlay to both in recent union budgets. With a diaspora presence in the Netherlands playing a growing role in global tech and finance, Modi's remarks were calibrated to both inspire and recruit goodwill for Brand India.