Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently sparked controversy with his pointed criticism of India's startup ecosystem, saying while Chinese entrepreneurs focus on artificial intelligence, microchips, and electric vehicles, Indian founders are preoccupied with “fancy ice creams” and food delivery services.

His comments ignited a firestorm of reactions across the business community – some supportive, others deeply critical. It's too late now to delve deep into the pros and cons of the argument and its merits.

Goyal’s criticism contains a kernel of truth. India’s startup scene has indeed gravitated toward service-oriented businesses rather than breakthrough technological innovation. Yet this perspective neglects the complex ecosystem required for deep tech to flourish – an ecosystem that our political leadership is responsible for cultivating.

It is somewhat ironic that calls for innovation and out-of-the-box thinking come from a section of the society that practices methods that are rooted in traditions that are decades old: politicians. So what happens if we examine Indian politicians with the same lens that Goyal used to highlight the failings of Indian entrepreneurs?

Chalk and Cheese

When we examine global political landscapes, visionaries like Nelson Mandela, Deng Xiaoping, Angela Merkel, Barack Obama, and Jacinda Ardern stand out as shining examples for their compassion, foresight, forward-thinking policies and inspiring leadership that was admired globally.

Meanwhile, India’s political system, despite producing an abundance of career politicians, struggles to generate leaders who transcend partisan divides or champion truly transformative policies.

No need to name names, but it’s hard to identify a current Indian leader whose appeal genuinely transcends borders – someone the world might look to as a model of visionary leadership.

The criticism........

© Mathrubhumi English