Goel's Comments Spark Counter from Startup Founder

In response to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goel's comments about many Indian startups being content with low-revenue, small-scale businesses instead of focusing on technological advancement like electric vehicles, battery technology, semiconductors, and AI — fields being actively pursued by entrepreneurs in China — Vijay Vithal, the founder of a semiconductor startup, countered the remarks.

Vithal stated that he has attended several government conferences and assured that his company has the capability to develop chips tailored to the country's needs. However, when he inquired about how many chips the government would buy, the responses he received were discouraging. He said, "You first manufacture, and then let's see" and "We won’t buy... you find the market for these yourself."

Vithal pointed out that no startup would waste 10-20 crores and two years of effort in a market without any buyers. He also shared his frustration with Goel, saying, "For two years, your department has been ignoring my application for tax exemptions." He highlighted that due to the high taxes in India compared to competitors abroad, his company is spending twice as much on imports.