India Marks 10 Years of Startup India; PM Modi Leads National Day

India is marking a significant milestone as the Startup India initiative, National Startup Day 2026, and India startup ecosystem complete a decade of progress, with celebrations being held on January 16 in New Delhi.

The central event at Bharat Mandapam will be led by Narendra Modi, who will interact with startup founders, investors, policymakers and ecosystem partners from across the country.

Launched on January 16, 2016, Startup India programme, entrepreneurship policy in India, and startup regulatory reforms were introduced to strengthen the country’s entrepreneurial framework by simplifying regulations, improving access to funding and encouraging innovation.

Over the past decade, the programme has supported more than 200,000 recognised startups across technology, manufacturing, services and emerging sectors.

• India marks 10 years of Startup India as PM Modi leads National Startup Day in Delhi
• Event highlights a decade of startup growth, innovation and policy reforms
• Focus shifts to scaling startups and expanding entrepreneurship beyond big cities

During the National Startup Day programme, Prime Minister interaction with startups, Indian startup founders, and startup growth stories will take centre stage as the Prime Minister engages directly with entrepreneurs and listens to their experiences across different stages of growth. Founders will share accounts of building enterprises, addressing market challenges, expanding operations and generating employment across sectors.

Officials note that Startup India has contributed to Tier-II and Tier-III startups, regional entrepreneurship growth, and inclusive startup development. A rising number of recognised startups are now based outside metropolitan centres, reflecting broader participation from smaller cities. The initiative has also supported innovation in digital services, healthcare, clean energy, agritech and deep technology.

The 10-year milestone is also being viewed as a moment to assess progress and outline future priorities. Discussions are expected to focus on district-level startup ecosystems, global market access for startups, and innovation-led manufacturing in India, alongside efforts to strengthen funding, mentorship and policy support.

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National Startup Day 2026 therefore serves both as a review of a decade of Startup India achievements, government support for startups, and India innovation economy, while also setting the direction for the next phase of growth with emphasis on scale, sustainability and wider participation.