BackIndia in a sweet spot for tech in information era, says PM Modi
It is time for tech solutions that are designed in India to be deployed globally, Modi said at a summitAnand Mahindra said the pandemic had led to the convergence of IT and business tech
PremiumIt is time for technology solutions designed in India to be deployed globally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, emphasizing on the blurring of boundaries in the information era.
“India is in a sweet spot. It is time for tech solutions that are designed in India but deployed for the world," Modi said in his opening address at the 23rd Bengaluru Tech Summit.
The three-day event on ‘Next is Now’ will have over 270 speakers from biotechnology, e-commerce, information technology and deep tech, sharing their insights on the challenges and the way forward in a post-pandemic world.
Digital India, launched five years ago, is no longer being seen as just a regular government initiative, Modi said. “Digital India has become a way of life, particularly for the poor, the marginalized, and for those in government."
Technology aided efforts of the government during the covid-induced lockdown to offer proper and quick assistance to the needy, said the prime minister.
Modi emphasized on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s flagship campaign, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and said local technology solutions have the potential to go global.
Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union minister for communications, electronics and information technology, and law and justice, said the pandemic created a lot of problems but the digital ecosystem has created many opportunities. The government is formulating robust policies to play a key role in economic growth, he added. “We want to promote India as a big data economy. Data will drive the digital economy and the Centre will soon have a data protection law."
“Atmanirbhar Bharat does not mean India in isolation. It means India should be a major economy of the world and become a part of the supply chain," Prasad added.
Other speakers at the event also emphasised on the opportunities that covid-19 has brought with it that could propel innovation and technology.
“The crisis has changed the way we view the world and exposed the fault-lines in our society. It encourages the pooling of skills, emerging knowledge, and integration of technology," said Anand Mahindra, chairman, Mahindra Group.
“The crisis is exactly the catalyst that can speed up technological and societal transformational changes that are required for the post-covid-19 world."
Mahindra also said that the pandemic had led to the convergence of information technology (IT) and business technology (BT), which could provide a silver bullet that will protect the post-covid world.
“Covid has put the spotlight on biotech and unleashed the power of IT and biotech to rapidly and effectively address the epidemic with technology being the saviour during the pandemic," said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson and managing director, Biocon Ltd.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who participated in the virtual event, said the country plans to take the bilateral relations to new heights. “Australia and India have unlimited possibilities of working together in space research, critical minerals, 5G, AI, quantum computing and much more. We have signed the landmark Australia-India Technology Framework on cyber and cyber-enabled technology," Morrison said, according to a statement issued by the organizers of the tech summit.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
