Pandemic a 'bend' in the path, not the end: PM Modi at Bengaluru Tech Summit 2020

Bengaluru, Nov 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the 'Digital India' mission launched by the Centre five years ago is no longer being seen as a regular government initiative and it has instead become a way of life.

Inaugurating the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2020, PM Modi said the coronavirus pandemic, that has hit the world is just a 'bend' in the path, not the end.

Addressing the gathering, the prime minister said that Digital India has become a way of life for poor, marginalised and for those in government.

"Our government has successfully created a market for digital and tech solutions. It has made technology a key part of all schemes. Our governance model is 'Technology First'," he said.

"Through technology, we have enhanced human dignity. Millions of farmers received monetary support in one click. At the peak of the COVID19 lockdown, it was technology that ensured that India's poor received proper and quick assistance," the prime minister further said.

PM Modi said that technology is the prime reason our schemes have transcended files and changed the lives of the people at such a speed and scale.

"When it comes to technology, the way ahead lies in learning and growing together. Inspired by that approach, a number of incubation centres are opening in India. Over the last few years, a culture of hackathons have been organised in India. I have attended some of them too," he said.

"Achievements of the industrial era are in the rearview mirror, and now, we are in the middle of the information era. Future is coming sooner than anticipated In the industrial era, change was linear. But in the information era, change is disruptive," he added.

The Prime Minister said that India is uniquely positioned to leap ahead in the information era.

"In the industrial era, the first-mover advantage was everything. In the information era, first-mover does not matter, the best-mover does. Anyone can build a product any time that disrupts all existing equations of the market," he said.

"India is uniquely positioned to leap ahead in the information era. We have the best minds as well as the biggest market. Our local tech solutions have the potential to go global. It is time for tech-solutions that are designed in India but deployed for the world," he added.

PM Modi said that the government's policy decisions are always aimed at liberalising tech & innovations industry.

"Recently, we have eased the compliance burden on the IT industry. We have always tried to engage with stakeholders in the tech industry and chart out future-proof policy frameworks for India," he said.

Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Vice-President of Switzerland Guy Parmelin would be among those addressing the virtual event.

Over 25 nations are participating in the 23rd edition of the event along with thought leaders, industry captains, technocrats, researchers, innovators, investors, policy- makers and educators from India and different parts of the world.

This year, the theme of the summit is 'Next is Now.' The summit would deliberate on key challenges emerging in the post-pandemic world with a focus on the impact of prominent technologies and innovations on the domains of information technology and electronics and biotechnology.

Some of the key focus areas of the summit are aerospace and defence technologies, healthcare, future of work, startup for public good, electronics and semi-conductor, reimagining digital health and "Covid-19 Pandemic Preparedness".