Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal urged Indian startups to shift focus from food and delivery apps to advanced technologies like AI, EVs, and semiconductors. His remarks sparked debate in the startup community.
Goyal criticized the trend of building apps that promote "cheap labour" for convenience, asking if India should just keep "selling things by door delivery" or build high-tech innovations.
Industry leaders defended consumer startups.
Zepto co-founder Aadit Palicha responded that such startups contribute significantly to employment and the economy, citing Zepto’s tax payments, foreign investments, and organized supply chains.
He argued that even China’s tech giants started with consumer services.
Ashneer Grover, former BharatPe MD, supported the idea of deep tech but emphasized that politicians should also push for long-term economic growth. He pointed out that China evolved from food delivery to deep tech over time.
Ex-Infosys CEO Mohandas Pai criticized the government’s lack of support for deep tech startups and called the Finance Minister "hostile" for past tax policies.
He stressed that India does have high-tech startups, but they remain small due to limited investment and bureaucratic hurdles.
The point the Minister should also consider is that to build startups in tech, robotics, AI, and other advanced fields, India needs more skilled talent.
Most STEM graduates passing out today are not startup-ready because their education doesn't meet the required standards.
Many autonomous universities and colleges are known to pass students — sometimes even with backlogs — in exchange for money. The quality of education must improve, and support for startups should increase.
For example, IIT Madras graduates have been working on developing a Hyperloop train for several years. What level of government support have they actually received? And even if there has been some, is it really sufficient?
Before making such sweeping and critical statements, Piyush Goyal should introspect and ask whether the ecosystem — education, funding, and infrastructure — is truly ready to support deep tech startups.
