New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16, Friday said that the Startup India initiative has turned into a major revolution over the past decade, helping India emerge as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. Addressing a programme marking a decade of the Startup India initiative on National Startup Day at Bharat Mandapam, PM Modi said, “Remember, what the situation was like 10 years ago. There was no scope for individual effort and innovation at all. We challenged those circumstances, we launched Startup India and we gave the youth an open sky and today the result is in front of us. In just 10 years, the Startup India mission has become a revolution. India is today the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem”.
Driven by innovation and enterprise, India’s Startups are shaping a self-reliant and resilient economy. Addressing a programme in Delhi marking #10YearsOfStartupIndia.
https://t.co/SY8JUUCvT7— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2026
The Prime Minister praised young innovators on the completion of 10 years of the Startup India initiative, calling the journey a celebration of thousands of dreams turning into reality. “To our young innovators, who have shown the courage to dream new dreams, I deeply appreciate each and every one of you. Today, we are celebrating the milestone of 10 years of Startup India. This 10-year journey is not just the story of a government initiative’s success; it is the journey of thousands and lakhs of dreams like yours. It is the journey of countless dreams coming to life”, he said.
He highlighted the growing role of women in India’s startup ecosystem, noting that nearly half of recognised startups have at least one woman leader and that India ranks second globally in women-led startup funding. “Currently, over 45 per cent of recognized startups in India have at least one female director or partner. In terms of women-led startup funding, India boasts the second-largest ecosystem in the world. This growing inclusivity within the startup sector is enhancing the country’s potential. Today, India sees its future in the ongoing startup revolution”, PM Modi reiterated.
Startup India was launched on January 16, 2016, by the Prime Minister as a national programme to nurture innovation, promote entrepreneurship and enable investment-driven growth, with the objective of making India a nation of job creators rather than job seekers.
(With Inputs from ANI)
