Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 29th edition of NASSCOM Technology and Leadership Forum (NTLF) 2021 via a video conference. With a theme of ‘Shaping the future towards a better normal,’ NTLF 2021 is the National Association of Software and Service Companies’ flagship event. This year the event has been organised from February 17-19th.
“It’s a time when the entire world is looking at India with greater hope and expectations than before. During COVID, our science and technology not only proved itself but also evolved,” stated Modi.
This year’s NASSCOM event has been aimed at — celebrating technology as a backbone to boost businesses amid pandemic, laying out a roadmap for building a better future and highlighting the significance of responsible technology in this virtual world.
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PM Modi started his opening comments by lauding the IT industry for its 2% revenue growth when the entire world has been undergoing a massive downturn. He said, “When the chips were down, your code kept the world running.” He even applauded for the resilience the tech industry showcased amid this uncertainty, which displays a step towards the making of ‘New India.’
Further, he congratulated the tech industry for helping other industry companies with their initial transformation journey that allowed the entire India to work from home, amid the ongoing pandemic.
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Highlighting India’s evolution, PM Modi also said, “There was a time when we were dependent on other countries for smallpox vaccines. Today, we’re providing other countries ‘Made In India’ vaccines to fight against COVID.”
All data and indicators show that the IT industry’s growth momentum is set to scale new highs.
He further spoke about how geotagging every project related to infrastructure has proved advantageous in completing the projects on time. “The homes of the poor in the villages are being mapped with drones, helping in reducing human interface in tax-related matters,” said Modi.
The government also considered the security aspect while drafting the geospatial regulations. “India is more confident nation now which can be seen on our borders,” he added.
PM Modi has also highlighted the importance of data transparency in conducting good governance. This is allowing the public to strengthen its trust in the Indian government. “Technology has empowered regular citizens in the country and connected him with the government. We’ve democratised data as well, and last-mile service delivery has also been effective,” added Modi.
Addressing the digital payment aspect, PM Modi stated how a heavily-cash dependent society has drastically transformed into a case-less society in the last three-four years. “The more digital transactions take place, lesser the black money would come into circulation,” stated Modi.
India’s government has also showcased full faith in startups and innovators of the country and praised the solutions created by the IT industry to date. He urged the startup ecosystem to think of ways to create “world class products that will set the global benchmark on excellence.” He has also asked the companies to “create institutions that will outlast this century.”
Concluding his speech at NTLF 2021, PM Modi spoke about how India is building a technology culture in schools and colleges today — from Atal Tinkering Labs to Atal Incubation Centres. The government has also been working towards helping the agriculture sector along with the health and wellness sector with technology and artificial intelligence. “The tech industry needs to provide solutions associated with the masses in relation to education and skill development,” concluded Modi.
Apart from the PM Modi, the event has also been addressed by industry professionals like Arvind Krishna, the Chairman and CEO of IBM, C Vijayakumar, the President and CEO of HCL Technologies, Julie Sweet, the CEO of Accenture, Karthikeyan Natarajan, the President and CEO of Cyient, and D. Shivakumar, Aditya Birla Group’s Group Executive President (Corporate Strategy and Business).
The NASSCOM event hosts 1600 participants from more than 30 countries showcasing more than 30 products, during the three-days of brainstorming sessions.
