New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday marked a shift in India’s export strategy from a mere focus on cost competitiveness to quality-driven growth, urging the industry to scale up research, adopt global standards and align with emerging supply chain opportunities.Addressing the second post-budget webinar on sustaining economic growth, Prime Minister Modi said that as global trade and production networks are being reshaped, India must reposition itself as a trusted manufacturing partner. “Our direction is clear. Our resolve is clear. Build more, produce more, connect more and now there is a need to increase exports,” he said, viewing exports as the next phase of India’s economic trajectory.Modi said with multiple free trade agreements opening up wider market access, quality will determine how effectively India takes advantage of these opportunities. “When the opportunity comes for us to move forward, our mantra should be – ‘Quality, quality, quality,'” he said. “If we have to put our utmost strength, intelligence and effort into one thing, it should be quality,” Modi said, adding that Indian products must not only meet global benchmarks but also strive to exceed them.Modi also called for greater investment in research and development. “The days of being frugal in research are over. Now, we must invest heavily in research,” he said, urging manufacturers to closely study consumer preferences and regulatory standards in partner countries to produce products that are user-friendly and globally competitive.Among departmental priorities, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the Biopharma Shakti Mission to position India as a global hub for biologics and next-generation therapeutics. “We want to be a leader in advanced biopharmaceutical research and manufacturing,” he said.Modi linked manufacturing ambitions to infrastructure and logistics reforms, saying record capital spending, intermodal transport and new freight corridors will reduce costs and increase efficiency. However, he added that the outcome would depend on coordinated action by industry, financial institutions and the state.
