Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday expressed confidence that India would emerge as a global hub for car manufacturing, while calling for an approach that combines access to advanced international technologies with employment and business opportunities.
Addressing “Dilli Dialogue: Policies for a Future-Ready India” in New Delhi, Goyal said India’s global economic engagement should create opportunities for businesses, startups and young people.
“We want to be a part of the global marketplace,” he said, emphasising opportunities for employment and for young entrepreneurs to develop new ideas.
Goyal highlighted the role of free trade agreements in expanding market access for Indian businesses. Partnerships with developed economies could benefit both sides, he said, with India offering strengths in textiles, footwear, agriculture and food processing while gaining access to advanced technologies and high-quality electronic equipment.
“We are not closing the doors of India to the world. We are, in fact, opening them wider,” he said.
The minister expressed confidence in India’s ability to achieve its trillion-dollar export target and stressed the importance of ambitious goals in pursuing the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
He said a roadmap identifying key growth sectors supported the country’s developed-nation ambitions. Rising demand for goods and services among India’s 1.4 billion people, including growing imports, presented opportunities for domestic industry and international investors.
Increasing demand for electronics and white goods could encourage investment in local manufacturing, including semiconductor factories, he added.
On automobiles, Goyal said international manufacturers would increasingly establish production facilities in India as market demand reached a commercially viable scale.
Referring to car import quotas permitted for the United Kingdom and European Union, he said these largely covered expensive vehicles, while the lower-priced segment had not been opened.
He cited luxury car manufacturers that had established plants in Pune after initially testing the Indian market as examples of the country’s potential to attract further automobile investment.
Goyal also identified tourism as a major source of employment and business opportunities. Artificial intelligence could improve tourism promotion, he said, while human experiences would remain central to the sector.
“AI can only add to the efficiency of promoting tourism. But otherwise, human experiences will always be AI proof,” he said.
He highlighted India’s culinary heritage and regional diversity, referring to the potential of food traditions and products such as filter coffee, rasam, idli and dosa.
India’s young population also offered an advantage as many other economies faced ageing populations, Goyal said. He referred to demand for Indian workers in Germany and Japan and opportunities for Indian professionals in international markets.
Indian workers were respected internationally for their honesty and commitment to caring for others, he added.
Stressing that quality would determine India’s global competitiveness, Goyal called for coordinated efforts by policymakers, industry and institutions, including the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, to raise standards.
He said adopting and consistently practising world-class quality standards would strengthen India’s ability to compete and capture opportunities in global markets.
