Startup India Hits Decade Milestone: 2 Lakh Startups, 21 Lakh Jobs Created

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, on Friday took to his social media account to mark the occasion by highlighting the transformative impact of the past decade on the nation's economy. He noted, "The proof of the stellar success of PM @NarendraModi ji's pathbreaking initiative is the over 2 lakh @DPIITGoI recognised startups in the country that have generated over 21 lakh job opportunities."

Minister Goyal also stated that India is now the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world with Rs 15 lakh crore funding boosting the industry.

The rapid growth is attributed to a series of strategic reforms designed to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and provide financial lifelines to budding entrepreneurs. Reflecting on the government's role in this evolution, the Minister shared that "in the past decade, the Government has adopted timely and agile policy interventions to make the startup ecosystem robust and business-friendly." He further emphasised that the core strategy has remained consistent: "The focus has been on encouraging innovative ideas and helping them scale."

The initiative, which began in 2016, has grown from a handful of ventures into a massive network of over 200,000 recognised entities. This expansion is no longer limited to major metropolitan hubs like Bengaluru or Delhi; today, 48% of these startups emerge from Tier-II and Tier-III cities, democratising opportunity across the Indian heartland.

Goyal also expressed optimism about the next phase, stating, "Now, with India's strengthening trade partnerships with countries globally, more avenues will open for our Startups to expand their markets, create global impact, and build the next generation of Indian success stories."

- ANI