PM Modi pushes quality manufacturing as India touts third-largest startup ecosystem

NEW DELHI: In his first monthly radio address of 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that India is now the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, urged manufacturers to adopt the “zero defect, zero effect” approach, and called on citizens to prioritize cleanliness and afforestation.

Ahead of the country’s 77th Republic Day on 26 January, and National Voters’ Day on 25 January, Modi said voters are the “soul of democracy” and urged people to celebrate first-time voters much like birthdays.

India had more than 960 million registered voters for the 2024 general election, the largest electorate in the world, according to the Election Commission of India, including about 18.4 million first-time voters.

Modi said Indian startups are working across sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), space, nuclear energy, semiconductors, mobility, green hydrogen and biotechnology. “Today India has turned into the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world,” he said.

As of December 2025, India had more than 200,000 government-recognised startups, with about half of them in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. The country’s high-value startup ecosystem has expanded from just four unicorns in 2014 to more than 120, valued collectively at about $350 billion as of January 2026, according to a government statement.

At a time when global attention is focused on India, Modi said, the country must place greater emphasis on quality. “India’s economy is progressing rapidly. The world is watching India. At such a juncture, we all shoulder a huge responsibility. That responsibility is to emphasize on quality.”

“Let our only mantra be quality, quality and only quality…the connotation of an Indian product should become ‘top quality’,” the prime minister added, referring to products ranging from textiles and technology to electronics and packaging.

The emphasis on manufacturing quality comes amid geopolitical uncertainty and tariff pressures on Indian exporters following steep US duties on Indian goods.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that there could be scope for reducing the levy after India cut oil imports from Russia. US President Donald Trump had doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% from 25% in August 2025, citing New Delhi’s purchases of Russian crude.

He pointed to efforts in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, where residents cleaned the Tamsa river and planted fruit-bearing trees along its banks, and in Ananthapura, Andhra Pradesh, where communities revived water reservoirs to mitigate drought. He also mentioned similar initiatives in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Chennai.

The prime minister highlighted the growing trend of “bhajan clubbing” among young people, describing gatherings that resemble concerts but feature devotional singing. “This trend is being called ‘bhajan clubbing’ today, and it’s becoming increasingly popular, especially among Gen Z,” he said.

Modi also underscored the importance of India’s family system, noting that the United Arab Emirates is observing 2026 as the Year of the Family.