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Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s remarks at Startup Maha Kumbh have stirred conversations across the startup world.
Piyush Goyals comments, intended as a call for deeper innovation in sectors like EVs, AI and semiconductors, much like China’s tech leap, were met with mixed reactions.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s recent remarks about India’s startup ecosystem have stirred strong reactions among founders and social media users alike. His comment—questioning whether the country is settling for “dukaandari” over genuine innovation—has gone viral, sparking a flurry of debate online.
Speaking at the Startup Maha Kumbh on Thursday, Goyal critiqued the current trajectory of Indian startups, saying, “Are we going to be satisfied being delivery boys and girls? Is this India’s destiny? This isn’t startup culture—this is just entrepreneurship.”
He further added, “What are Indian startups doing today? We are prioritising food delivery apps, turning unemployed youth into low-wage gig workers so that the wealthy can get meals delivered without stepping out… Startups should be preparing the nation for the future, not just chasing short-term gains.”
The comments, intended as a call for deeper innovation in sectors like EVs, AI and semiconductors, much like China’s tech leap, have met with mixed reactions.
One of the most widely shared responses came from an entrepreneur based in Madhya Pradesh:
“Dear Piyush Goyal, I run a 100-person software company from Burhanpur MP, bringing M$+ / yr to the Burhanpur economy. I’m also the largest white-collar employer here. Since you’ve been talking about how Indian startups are not innovating enough, I’d like to ask..,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“We don’t have 24/7 electricity in our town, bureaucratic harassment is rampant, and we are treated like 3rd-grade citizens by babus,” read one of his follow-up comments.
(Source: X/@murtuzi)
His post drew support for highlighting the challenges of building in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. “Respect. It’s tough enough to run a company in a metro, can’t imagine the hurdles in Burhanpur,” read one comment.
Someone noted, “Innovation doesn’t happen without electricity and infrastructure. That’s the real bottleneck.”
Another viral post recalled the story of an IIT graduate who developed a ‘Super Tatkal’ ticket-booking app for IRCTC, only to be allegedly arrested for it:
“An IIT guy created an app called ‘Super Tatkal’. It made IRCTC bookings faster. He earned from the Pro version. IRCTC called it illegal and arrested him,” shared another user on X.
An IIT guy created an app called “Super Tatkal”.It makes booking IRCTC train tickets faster.The man earned some money through the Pro version of the app.IRCTC said the software was illegal & arrested the guy.Someone called for deep tech innovation !https://t.co/DEuGLwUC3A— Manoj Arora (@manoj_216) April 4, 2025
That post too received a flood of reactions. “Sometimes, the system takes time to catch up with new ideas,” one user wrote, while the other pointed out: “This is not deep tech but chori (stealing).”
Yet another user, who referred to @manoj_216 as “uncle”, questioned the definition of deep tech:
Ola Cabs CEO Bhavish Aggarwal also agreed with Piyush Goyal on Saturday, while mentioning a list of areas where innovation is pending: “Rockets, AI drugs, EUV machines, new mineral refining tech, new materials…”
Fully agree with Minister @PiyushGoyal statement. Our startup community needs to introspect as to why we’re just building consumer tech companies. Entrepreneurs need to reflect and instead of building lifestyle apps, build innovation and future tech.Rockets, AI drugs, EUV…
— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) April 4, 2025
The Union Minister’s remarks have sparked reflections on the practical realities many startups in India face today.
