Startup India completes a decade; PM says India is the world's third-largest startup ecosystem
On National Startup Day, 16 January 2026, PM Narendra Modi addressed a programme at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marking ten years of the Startup India initiative.
Summary
Startup India marked ten years on National Startup Day, 16 January 2026, with PM Narendra Modi addressing a programme at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Modi said India is now the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, with more than 2 lakh startups compared with fewer than 500 ten years ago. He noted that India had only four unicorns in 2014 and now has nearly 125 active unicorns, and urged startups to focus more on manufacturing.
Key facts
- Occasion
- National Startup Day, 16 January 2026; 10 years of Startup India
- Venue
- Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
- Ecosystem rank
- World's third-largest (PM)
- Startups
- Fewer than 500 a decade ago → more than 2 lakh
- Unicorns
- 4 in 2014 → nearly 125 active
Practice MCQs 4 questions
According to the PM's address on National Startup Day 2026, where does India rank among the world's startup ecosystems?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Third
PIB (PMO): the PM said India is today the world's third-largest startup ecosystem.
How many startups does India have now, according to the PM at the Startup India decade programme?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — More than 2 lakh
PIB (PMO): fewer than 500 startups ten years ago have grown to more than 2 lakh today.
According to the PM, India had only four unicorns in 2014. About how many active unicorns does it have now?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 125
PIB (PMO): India had only four unicorns in 2014; today there are nearly 125 active unicorns.
Where was the programme marking a decade of Startup India held on 16 January 2026?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Bharat Mandapam
PIB (PMO): the programme was held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.