Indian Entrepreneurs Respond to Minister's Comments

Following Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal's remarks that Indian startups should focus more on deep-tech innovation rather than food delivery and quick commerce, entrepreneurs like Zepto's co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha have come forward to defend the sector. Palicha highlighted Zepto's significant contributions, including creating 1.5 lakh jobs, paying over Rs 1,000 crore in taxes, and attracting more than $1 billion in FDI.

Minister's Call for High-Tech Focus

Goyal urged startups to shift their focus towards high-tech fields such as semiconductors, robotics, and AI, questioning the current emphasis on delivery services. His comments were made during the Startup Mahakumbh event in New Delhi, where G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant also warned against India becoming a "technological colony" and stressed the importance of investing in innovation.

Entrepreneurs and Experts Weigh In

BharatPe founder Ashneer Grover and former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai criticized the minister's stance, pointing out the challenges startups face in securing investment for deep-tech ventures. Grover emphasized the need for economic growth before criticizing job creators, while Pai questioned the availability of capital for startups in chip design, robotics, and EV charging.