India best placed to leverage technology, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday stressed on the importance of technology in today's world.  

"India is best placed to leverage the power of technology and leapfrog into the future while ensuring empowerment of every citizen," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while inaugurating the three-day World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT-2018) here through a video link from Delhi.

This event is being held in India for the first time in partnership with Nasscom, WITSA and the Government of Telangana.

The WCIT, will see over 150 thought leaders and 3,000 delegates taking part in more than 50 sessions and an equal number of unique technology showcases representing over 30 countries.

Terming India the "hot-spot of digital innovation across sectors", Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for "rapid adaptation" at workplaces to benefit from the emerging disruptive technologies that have the potential to deliver lasting prosperity.

With over 1 lakh villages connected through optical fibre network, more than 100 crore people using mobile phones, 121 crore people with Aadhaar connections and 50 crore internet users, India remains one of the most tech-friendly nations in the world and has a growing number of innovative entrepreneurs and a growing market for tech innovation, the Prime Minister said.

Modi spoke about his government's initiatives to push digital technologies and encourage innovation.

"Digital India programme has not remained just a government initiative but has become a way of life for the people. It is helping in inclusive growth of the nation. While most government initiatives depended on a government push, Digital India is succeeding because of the people's pull," he said.

Explaining how India had come a long way with the convergence of "Make in India and Digital India" initiatives, he said, "From only two mobile factories in India in 2014, today there are 118 mobile manufacturing factories operational in India, including some of the best global brands".

The prime minister said that technology has transcended power-point presentations and has now become an inseparable part of people's lives.