Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday applauded the flourishing startup ecosystem in the country away from the major business centres, adding that the registration of startups in Nagaland has surged by over 200 per cent last year.

In his recent Mann Ki Baat address, he applauded the growth of India’s startup ecosystem, particularly in smaller cities.

He highlighted a 200 per cent surge in startup registrations in Nagaland last year, with key sectors including waste management, biotechnology, and logistics. “Waste Management, Non-Renewable Energy, Biotechnology and Logistics are the sectors in which the most number of start-ups are being noticed, “ Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated.

Addressing the 118th episode of Mann Ki Baat and the first of this year, the Prime Minister mentioned the completion of 9 years of Startup India.

He further added, “More than half of the startups that have been formed in our country in these 9 years are from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, and when we hear that, every Indian’s heart is delighted with the fact that our startup culture is not limited to just big cities.”

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Prime Minister Modi also highlighted the significant role played by women in these ventures, with many of the startups in smaller cities being led by daughters of India. Reflecting on the evolution of India’s startup culture, PM Modi emphasised the vast transformation over the last decade.

”Ten years ago, the idea of entering the startup world was met with skepticism, but today, India’s startup ecosystem has become a hub of innovation and opportunity. The Prime Minister urged young people to take full advantage of the new opportunities arising across the nation,” he added.

“10 years ago, when someone used to talk about entering the field of start-ups, one had to listen to many kinds of taunts. Some would ask, after all, what is a start-up? Others would say, That will not lead you anywhere! But see how big a changeup has come in a decade now! You too should take full advantage of the new opportunities being created in India. If you believe in yourself, your dreams will also soar to new heights,” the Prime Minister stated.

Going further, PM Modi highlighted that an Indian space-tech start-up, Pixxel from Bengaluru, has launched India’s first private satellite constellation–’Firefly’.’

“This satellite constellation is the world’s highest-resolution hyperspectral satellite constellation. A few days ago, our scientists achieved another significant milestone in the space sector. Our scientists carried out satellite space docking,” PM Modi added.

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