As India marks its 80th Independence Day, the country’s journey towards becoming a Viksit Bharat is increasingly being shaped by sustainable innovation, indigenous defence capabilities and a future-ready workforce. Industry leaders have highlighted the need to focus on environmental responsibility, youth development, emerging technologies and self-reliance in defence as India works towards strengthening its economic and technological position globally.
Ajay Sawant, Chairman and Managing Director, Orient Technologies Limited, said sustainable technology will have an important role in India’s growth, particularly as enterprises look to address environmental concerns and the rising challenge of electronic waste: “India’s journey towards becoming a global technology leader must be supported by a strong commitment to environmental responsibility. Sustainable technology is the way forward, not only for enabling long-term development but also for addressing the growing challenge of electronic waste. By embracing green initiatives and recognizing the need for corporate sustainability, where every step counts, Indian enterprises can meaningfully reduce their environmental footprint. Integrating energy-efficient infrastructure and sustainable IT lifecycle management into technology strategies ensures responsible resource use from procurement to disposal. This Independence Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to building a digitally advanced, resource-efficient and sustainable India for future generations.”
Sandip Weling, Whole-time Director and Chief Business Officer, Global Retail, Aptech Limited, stressed the importance of India’s young workforce in achieving the Viksit Bharat vision. He pointed to AI, emerging technologies and the AVGC-XR ecosystem as areas that can create new opportunities for India’s youth: “A Viksit Bharat will not be built by technology alone, but by the young minds who have the skills, confidence and courage to shape what comes next. As India celebrates its 80th Independence Day, ‘Yuva Shakti for Viksit Bharat@2047’ puts the power of our youth at the centre of the nation’s growth story. With AI, emerging technologies and the AVGC-XR ecosystem opening new frontiers, India’s youth have the opportunity to move from being job seekers to creators, innovators and entrepreneurs. As we complete 40 years of empowering learners, our focus remains on building industry-ready talent that can drive innovation, create opportunities and strengthen India’s position in the orange economy.”
The need for greater self-reliance in defence has also emerged as a key priority, with industry highlighting the role of domestic technology and manufacturing in building India’s security capabilities. Joseph Sudheer Thumma, Global CEO and Managing Director, Magellanic Cloud, said India needs to continue investing in indigenous defence technologies and domestic capabilities to reduce external dependencies: “India’s evolving security landscape underscores the strategic need for strong homegrown defence capabilities. Atmanirbhar defence is vital to national security, helping reduce external dependencies while enabling solutions tailored to India’s operational needs. By investing in indigenous defence technologies, advanced surveillance systems, unmanned platforms and domestic manufacturing, India can build a more agile, resilient and future-ready security ecosystem. This Independence Day, we reaffirm our commitment to innovation and collaboration across government, industry and academia to ensure a safer and more self-reliant India.”
