Goyal: Modi's 'Zero Defect, Zero Effect' Vision Drives India's Manufacturing Ambition

Addressing the first National Quality Conclave, organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in partnership with the Quality Council of India (QCI), Goyal, who joined the event virtually, underscored that no country can progress merely as a consumer; it must establish itself as a globally recognised producer of high-quality goods and services. He emphasised that Brand India must stand for quality, reliability and trust. Noting that India has been the world's fastest-growing large economy for the past four years and is poised to become the third-largest GDP in the next two to two-and-a-half years, he said the country's USD 2 trillion export target -- comprising USD 1 trillion in merchandise and USD 1 trillion in services within the next six to seven years -- can only be achieved through uncompromising quality standards.

Highlighting India's expanding trade outreach, Goyal said that nine Free Trade Agreements finalised in the past three to three-and-a-half years with 38 developed countries now cover nearly two-thirds of global GDP and trade. These agreements, he noted, open new opportunities in sectors such as textiles, leather, footwear and pharmaceuticals, provided Indian products consistently meet the highest global benchmarks. He reiterated that India's current share in global trade remains modest, even in competitive and labour-intensive sectors, and urged industry to leverage new market access opportunities created through these agreements.

Recalling earlier challenges, Goyal remarked that Indian consumers were once compelled to seek "export quality" products, reflecting a dual-quality ecosystem. He stressed that such a culture must be decisively replaced with uniform, high standards for both domestic and international markets. He lauded the Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) for taking the message of quality to the grassroots through extensive consultations across clusters and sectors.

Outlining a five-pillar action agenda to institutionalise quality, the Minister emphasised the need for clearly defined standard operating processes with strict compliance and continuous inspection from raw material to finished product stage; skilling and re-skilling of the workforce to reduce wastage and enhance productivity, particularly in sectors such as textiles; undertaking gap analysis and benchmarking with global best practices to improve competitiveness and environmental outcomes; streamlining testing and certification protocols to reduce delays and costs; and strengthening shared infrastructure through modern, automated testing facilities across manufacturing clusters.

Goyal assured that funds would not be a constraint for establishing high-quality testing infrastructure. He encouraged industry to seek support under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) for international approvals and compliance requirements, including REACH regulations, CBAM verification, SPS and TBT measures, and other non-tariff barriers. He stated that government support would particularly benefit micro and small enterprises in accessing global markets and meeting international standards.

Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Goyal reiterated that India must be recognised globally as a guarantee of quality. He emphasised that quality consciousness has been a recurring theme in the Prime Minister's recent public engagements and called for replacing the "chalta hai" mindset with a culture of excellence across all levels -- from promoters and directors to workers on the shopfloor and personnel in laboratories and back offices.

The Union Minister also reflected on the symbolic "manthan" process, stating that just as nectar emerged from the Samudra Manthan, the consultative efforts under the Conclave must yield the nectar of quality, trust and excellence in day-to-day work. He reaffirmed the government's readiness to support industry initiatives aimed at embedding quality deeply within India's manufacturing ecosystem.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada emphasised that as global opportunities expand, India must transition decisively towards quality-led manufacturing. He stated that platforms such as the National Quality Conclave will play a crucial role in strengthening India's global standing as a reliable manufacturing and export destination.

Secretary, DPIIT, Amardeep Singh Bhatia highlighted that strengthening Bharat's industrial ecosystem requires coordinated engagement between government, industry and institutions anchored in quality-driven policy frameworks. He described quality improvement as a long-term commitment essential for meeting global demand, building international trust and positioning India as a reliable part of global supply chains.

Chairperson, QCI, Jaxay Shah underscored that quality must move beyond audits and certifications to become a daily discipline at the shopfloor level. He stated that for Viksit Bharat 2047, quality is not merely a pathway but the destination.

The National Quality Conclave represents a first-of-its-kind national initiative structured around extensive on-ground consultations with industry and MSMEs to directly capture shop-floor and supply-chain insights and integrate them into policy deliberations and the development of sector-specific quality roadmaps. Series 1 of the Conclave brought together senior policymakers, industry leaders, regulators and key stakeholders from four priority manufacturing sectors -- textiles, leather, footwear and pharmaceuticals -- identified for their strong export potential, extensive MSME participation and contribution to employment generation.

The Conclave adopted a sector-differentiated, evidence-driven three-stage engagement process over two months across more than twenty cities to ensure actionable outcomes. In the leather sector, 25+ nationwide consultations and 15+ Gunvatta Manthan dialogues were conducted with participation from 65+ industry stakeholders and MSMEs. The textiles sector engagement comprised 30+ nationwide consultations and 10+ Gunvatta Manthan dialogues engaging 10+ stakeholders and MSMEs, while the pharmaceuticals sector saw focused discussions through 7+ nationwide consultations involving 55+ stakeholders and MSMEs. The programme covered 14 manufacturing clusters and engaged over 50 government and regulatory bodies through a twin-track approach involving both private sector stakeholders and government agencies.

The National Quality Conclave is envisaged as part of an ongoing series of sector-focused engagements, with DPIIT and QCI undertaking regular consultations across manufacturing sectors to systematically address quality challenges, strengthen industry-government coordination and build sustained momentum for quality-led industrial growth. The outcomes of the Conclave will contribute to the development of a National Quality Roadmap for Manufacturing, guiding coordinated action across government, regulators and industry in the period ahead.

- ANI