Let’s be real: Not every startup is a success story. Some are just shiny apps built on the backs of overworked, underpaid delivery boys.
And right now, India might be walking straight into a tech trap — turning its ambitious youth into glorified errand runners, while other countries like China are training their workforce for the next wave of innovation: AI, robotics, EVs, and semiconductors.
At the Startup Mahakumbh 2025, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal lit the fuse. He called out Indian startups for focusing too much on food delivery, quick commerce, and lifestyle convenience apps. His words hit hard: Are we building a nation of “cheap labor” for the rich — or a country that leads in deep-tech?
Now sure, his tone was harsh — but yo, he kinda has a point.
The Harsh Reality Behind the “Startup Boom”
For the last few years, we’ve celebrated India’s unicorns like they were national heroes. Swiggy, Zepto, Blinkit — they’ve all become household names. Jobs were created, capital flowed in, apps got slicker. On the surface, it looks like a tech revolution.
But scratch the surface, and it starts to look less like innovation… and more like modern digital serfdom.
- Gig workers are overworked and underpaid, grinding 12-hour shifts with zero job security.
- These roles don’t build skills for the future — they just keep the machine running.
- There’s no ladder to climb, no long-term path, just endless orders and algorithmic pressure.
Let’s be real: This isn’t empowerment. It’s entrapment.
Meanwhile… China’s Playing a Whole Different Game
While India celebrates faster samosa delivery, China is investing billions into deep-tech. They’re training engineers, building hardware ecosystems, and backing bold, long-term bets in AI, chips, and clean energy.
They’re not just building apps — they’re building the infrastructure of the future.
That’s the real flex.
And it’s not just China. The U.S. and Europe are pouring funding into AI, quantum computing, biotech. Meanwhile, India’s brightest minds are hustling groceries.
So What’s the Fix?
Look — this isn’t about trashing delivery startups. They’ve done their job. They’ve made tech accessible. But if we stop here? We’re screwed.
India needs to upgrade its vision — and fast.
- 🎯 Incentivize deep-tech: Grants, tax breaks, support for risky R&D
- 🧠 Upskill the youth: Not just coding bootcamps — but AI, robotics, battery tech
- 💸 Rewire funding: VCs need to stop playing safe and start betting on innovation, not just “India’s Uber for X”
The future doesn’t belong to countries that deliver the fastest. It belongs to those who invent the tech that powers tomorrow.
India has the talent. What we need is the will — and a serious shift in what we call “success.”
