Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said India has achieved 4-5 per cent growth in exports over the last six months of the current financial year, despite global turbulence, highlighting the country’s resilience. “In the first six months of this year (April to September), we are on positive territory in exports, both in goods and services. That’s India’s resilience,” he said while addressing the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. Goyal noted that international trade growth, by contrast, has fallen below one per cent according to World Bank figures. “Technology has become a driver of inclusive growth. Every citizen today is empowered with digital tools. Having a billion-plus internet users is no mean achievement,” he said, adding that trust has become India’s defining strength, “the only currency that never depreciates, it only appreciates.” “India is at an inflection point with strong macroeconomic fundamentals, expanding trade relations with developed countries around the world, and a focus on empowering customers with high quality and low taxes,” he said. Citing India’s leadership in renewable energy, Goyal said, “24-hour renewable energy is available at under 9 cents a kilowatt for data centres and for artificial intelligence applications.” He added that clean and affordable power “will drive the world’s most modern technologies from India for the rest of the world.” On India’s digital success, Goyal highlighted, “Today, UPI is becoming more and more prominent not only in India but across the world. Day before yesterday, I launched UPI in Doha and Qatar. Today, nine countries are using UPI.”
