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Journalism of Courage
Startup Mahakumbh 2025, currently underway in Delhi, is now at the center of a heated conversation about the direction of India’s startup ecosystem. The debate first flared up when Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal made some sharp comparisons between India and China’s startup priorities, saying that while China is advancing in “high-end tech,” India is busy with quick grocery deliveries or gig work.
That comment ruffled feathers—and now, a display board outside the event venue, Bharat Mandapam, has poured more oil on the fire. Titled “India Vs China: The startup reality check,” the board bluntly lays out what it sees as the stark contrast between the two countries’ innovation focus.
According to the board, Chinese startups are pushing boundaries in electric vehicles, battery tech, AI, semiconductors, robotics, and global logistics. Meanwhile, Indian startups are boxed into categories like food delivery, fancy ice cream, betting apps, influencer culture, and ultra-fast grocery services.
A post by the X account “Indian Tech & Infra” featuring an image of the board has gone viral, captioned, “A message in startup mahakumbh event at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.”
https://twitter.com/IndianTechGuide/status/1908369158200254517
The blunt comparison has sparked a wave of reactions online, with users chiming in on what they think this says about India’s startup journey. A user came in defence of India’s position in startup landscape, “India’s focus on consumer apps drives immediate economic growth and job creation, laying a strong foundation for future deep-tech innovation. Don’t forget China has done those in the initial days to arrive at current levels..”
Another user agreed with the board and commented, “This is harsh but true, a lot of focus of Indian so called entrepreneurs is focused on cheap labor and not innovation.”
A third person wrote, “India doesn’t lack talent. We lack direction. We don’t need more fantasy leagues. We need real factories, deep tech, and infrastructure bets. This isn’t about bashing food delivery or reels they have their place.But if we keep romanticising hustle while ignoring hardware, we’ll end up with unicorns that entertain and nations that overtake.”
At Startup Mahakumbh, the minister sparked a conversation by questioning the direction of India’s startup ecosystem. “Should we aspire to be, or are we going to be happy being delivery boys and girls?” he asked, raising concerns about whether current ventures are truly innovative or just reshaping unemployment into low-paying gig work. “What are India’s startups of today? We are focused on food delivery apps, turning unemployed youth into cheap labour so the rich can get their meals without moving out of their house,” he said.
“We are very proud of what India has done, but are we the best in the world as yet? Not yet,” he said.
