New Delhi— India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant emphasized on Friday the urgent need for the country to develop its own advanced technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI), to avoid overdependence on foreign nations for technological progress.
Speaking at the second edition of the ‘Startup Mahakumbh’ event in New Delhi, Kant stressed the importance of technological self-reliance and the creation of frontier technologies that align with India’s culture, values, and identity.
“It’s essential that India retains its sovereignty in technological advancement and leads from the front,” Kant said. “We must not become a technological colony of the West or any other country. Instead, we need to continue innovating in a nimble, energy-efficient, and cost-effective manner.”
Kant highlighted the remarkable growth of India’s startup ecosystem, citing the progress made since the launch of the Startup India initiative in 2016.
“India’s startup story is a powerful reflection of the entrepreneurial spirit that defines New India,” he said. “Back in 2016, we had just 400 recognized startups. Today, that number has surged to over 161,000. Let’s keep this momentum going and ensure that innovation remains central to India’s growth journey.”
He also called on the Indian startup community to leverage the country’s vast data resources to create truly indigenous AI technologies. Kant warned against relying on Western AI models that often carry built-in cultural or algorithmic biases.
“We need to build sovereign, frontier AI models rooted in our own data sets—free from the biases found in Western systems,” he explained. “It’s time we move beyond the application layer and create a complete, end-to-end AI ecosystem.”
Kant urged startups to explore high-potential sectors such as AI, machine learning, blockchain, big data, cybersecurity, space technology, and semiconductors. These areas, he said, are essential for positioning India as a global leader in deep tech innovation.
“The future lies in India becoming a champion of deep tech,” he added.
Kant’s remarks echoed sentiments shared a day earlier by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who had also called on Indian startups to focus on deep tech, robotics, and other next-generation industries. (IANS)
