India’s Startups: Anchors of Resilience in a Changing Global Economy

On National Startup Day, India’s startup ecosystem stands testimony to the power of aligned policy action and industry’s proactive response. As the world’s 3^rd largest startup hub, with over 1.97 Lakh DPIIT recognised startups and more than 100 unicorns, India has demonstrated that spirit of entrepreneurship thrives strongest when innovation, regulation, and markets move in tandem. This vibrant ecosystem continues to redefine business excellence on the global stage. Major hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR have led this transformation, while smaller cities have increasingly contributed to the nation’s mushrooming entrepreneurial momentum.

At a time when the global economy is navigating heightened uncertainty, marked by geopolitical shifts, supply chain realignments, technological disruption, and climate risks, India’s startup ecosystem stands out as a source of resilience and stability.

India’s startup growth story has been shaped by a combination of enabling national policies and proactive state-level interventions. Flagship efforts such as Startup India have helped create a more predictable and supportive environment for entrepreneurship by easing regulatory compliance, improving access to early-stage capital, and strengthening innovation infrastructure. Equally important has been the role of progressive state governments, whose startup policies, incubators, and innovation missions have nurtured regional ecosystems and allowed entrepreneurship to flourish well beyond metropolitan centres. Today, Tier II and Tier III cities are emerging as vibrant hubs of enterprise, contributing to job creation, regional development, and inclusive growth.

Critical to this transition from local innovation to global relevance is the role of industry. As startups mature, the need shifts from ideation to adoption, where partnerships with corporates, access to procurement pipelines, and exposure to global value chains become decisive growth enablers. Indian startups today are developing solutions that address domestic challenges while meeting international standards of scale, sustainability, and competitiveness.

Indian startups across sectors such as digital public infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare, climate technologies, mobility, and financial services are building resilient business models that respond to real world needs while meeting international standards of competitiveness.

Looking ahead, sustaining this momentum will require a renewed focus on easing the scale-up journey for startups across states and markets. Greater alignment between central and state level frameworks can reduce friction as startups expand nationally and globally, enabling faster movement from local pilots to wider deployment. At the same time, industry and public institutions must play a more active role in institutionalising adoption, by integrating startups into procurement systems, supply chains, and long-term partnerships, mentoring of startups by large industry to aid scale ups rather than limiting engagement to pilots. Equally important is the need to crowd in more patient domestic capital. Encouraging greater participation from corporates, High Net Worth Individuals, and family offices can help bridge the growth-stage funding gap and strengthen the long-term sustainability and domestic ownership of India’s innovation ecosystem.

In an era of global uncertainty, startups are no longer just engines of growth, they are anchors of adaptability and endurance. With continued policy support, stronger industry participation, and deeper collaboration across stakeholders, Indian startups can play a defining role in shaping a more stable, competitive, and innovation-driven global economy.