New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the completion of ten years of 'Make In India' initiative and said that the collective resolve of 140 crore Indians was transforming the nation into a manufacturing and innovation powerhouse.
Penning a blog on the milestones and landmarks achieved under the flagship scheme, PM Modi wrote: "The impact of Make in India shows that Bharat is unstoppable."
PM Modi said that today was a moment to salute the country's vast talent pool for making the initiative a roaring success.
"Each of you is a pioneer, visionary and innovator, whose tireless efforts have fuelled the success of Make in India and thereby made our nation the focus of global attention as well as curiosity," he wrote.
He further said that the initiative which was undertaken ten years ago is yielding big results, as is evident in the manufacturing sector and also in the country's big strides in the export sector.
"The imprint of ‘Make in India’ has become visible across sectors, including areas where we never even dreamt of making an impact," he said.
PM Modi also cited some examples to explain the resounding success story of the Make In India initiative.
"Mobile manufacturing… we know how important mobile phones have now become, but what is startling is that in 2014, we had only two mobile manufacturing units in the entire country. Today, that number has risen to over 200. Our mobile exports have skyrocketed from a mere Rs 1,556 crore to an astounding Rs 1.2 lakh crore – a mind-boggling 7,500 per cent increase! Today, 99 per cent of mobile phones used in India are Made in India. We've become the second-largest mobile manufacturer globally," PM Modi wrote, recalling the telecom revolution in the country in the past ten years.
PM Modi further drew attention towards astronomical growth in sectors like energy and manufacturing.
"Look at Steel industry - We have become a net exporter of finished steel, with production increasing by over 50 per cent since 2014. Our semiconductor manufacturing sector has attracted investments worth over Rs 1.5 lakh crore, with five plants approved that will have a combined capacity of more than 7 crore chips per day. In renewable energy, we are the 4th largest producer globally, with capacity increasing by 400 per cent in just a decade. Our electric vehicle industry, practically non-existent in 2014, is now worth $3 billion," PM Modi wrote on his blog.
He further said that the defence production exports have soared from Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 21,000 crore, spanning across over 85 nations.
PM Modi also took pride in the indigenous production of state-of-the art trains, including Vande Bharat, and missiles like BrahmMos and boasted about all of them having a 'Make In India' imprint.
The Prime Minister further wrote: "Make in India initiative is special because it has given the poor the wings to dream big and aspire - it has given them the confidence that they can be wealth creators. Equally notable is the impact on the MSME sector."
He described Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes as one of the game-changers as it was enabling investments of thousands of crores and generating lakhs of jobs.
PM Modi said that the country has emerged as a key player in the global supply chain and also boasted about the country's phenomenal Yuva Shakti as it is proving its mettle in the Start-Up industry, globally.
The Prime Minister also called upon young Indians to come forward and join the Make In India initiative to take it to new heights.
"The momentum is clearly in India's favour. Despite facing unprecedented challenges like the global pandemic, India has remained firmly on the growth track. Today, we are being seen as drivers of global growth. We all must strive for excellence. Zero defect should be our mantra," he said in a concluding note.