From relying on foreign imports, India today self-reliant exporter: Dr Jitendra

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that from relying on foreign imports, India today has, under the Modi regime, moved on to become a self-reliant nation and exporter in major sectors.

In crucial areas like defence and health also, India has now become a major exporter living up to the spirit of “Swadeshi” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, the Minister added. The Minister said this while inaugurating an exhibition titled ‘Swadeshi Mela’ aimed at promoting self reliance (atmanirbhar) and sustainability. Dr Singh, while addressing the audience, said that today ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ has become a festival with various exhibitions displaying the spirit of self sufficiently and Swadeshi by artisans and entrepreneurs.He noted that such festivities were inconceivable a decade ago.
Dr Jitendra recalled that prior to 2014 people were unenthusiastic and wanted to settle abroad for better career and life prospects and India was counted amongst the ‘Fragile five’s economies of the world. He remarked that there has been a remarkable change in the last 12 years where India has transformed its position on the global stage from ‘fragile five’ to the first four economies of the world. Today nations look upto India for leadership and collaboration in a range sectors from medicine and startups to defence and space. The Minister added that this was due to the hardwork, vision and persistent efforts of PM Narendra Modi who initiated schemes like Startup India and Standup India. While referring to Operation Sindoor, Dr Jitendra said that the operation was a testimony to the strength and self sufficiency of India in the defence sector that has been attained in the last decade. He added that the defence exports of India have grown rapidly in the last decade and have reached more than Rs 23000 cr displaying the efficiency and supremacy of Indian weaponry to the world. Similarly, the Minister said that earlier Indians used to go to other countries for medical procedures. However, this scenario has completely altered now with India exporting medical equipment and devices along with medicines and healthcare services to the world. Exports of medical devices today stand at 3.8 billion and India is rapidly becoming the preferred medical tourism destination for patients from abroad due to their comparatively low costs. Dr Jitendra also said that India was increasingly becoming a leader in preventive care and was not limited to curative care with strengthening of the medical and research infrastructure of the country making other nations dependent on us for better health care facilities. While referring to the booming startup ecosystem in the country Dr Jitendra Singh said that presently there are 1.75 lakh startups in the country out of which around 50 percent are in tier II and tier III cities. He said that these startups constitute the soul of Viksit Bharat and will give a filip to the economy in the years to come. The Minister said that PM Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat has given us the confidence, strength and the aspiration that we lacked over the last many years. He added that out of these startups around 60000 are women led startups depicting the rise in confidence of the nari shakti in big and small cities. Dr Jitendra said that despite having potential, India could not compete with other countries earlier ,due to lack of leadership. With strong and visionary leadership this is changing fast as India is becoming a global leader in various fields. Concluding, Dr Jitendra said that the golden era for India has now started and it is upto the current generation to make India future-ready and build ecosystems that help future generations realise their potential and live the dream of Viksit Bharat. MP Rajya Sabha, Sat Sharma and MP Loksabha Jugal Kishore were also present on the occasion. Numerous stalls were set up by entrepreneurs displaying their products that included handicrafts, handlooms, herbal cosmetics, bamboo and other sustainable products, handmade items, local cuisines etc. majority of the products were created by women at their homes or with help of small units. Some cooperatives working closely with Handloom and handicrafts departments had also participated.