India’s digital economy growing twice as fast as overall GDP, says MeitY secretary

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According to the secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, India’s digital economy has moved far beyond the 6-7 per cent share of gross domestic product (GDP) it held before 2010, and after doubling by 2014, is now expanding at twice the pace of the broader economy.

Speaking at the Nagaland Digital Entrepreneurship and Startup Fest, he pointed to the creativity and English proficiency of Naga youth and said institutions such as the National Institute of Electronics ansd Information Technology play a critical role in developing this talent. Of the 55 NIELIT centres in India, 20 are located in the Northeast.

He noted that India must build its own cybersecurity capabilities rather than rely on foreign technologies, calling the Cyber Security Lab at NIELIT Kohima state-of-the-art and a major contributor to cyber policing.

Emphasising the importance of digital entrepreneurship, he said startups are central to job creation and expressed hope for more ventures emerging from Nagaland. He also highlighted the role of Software Technology Parks of India in attracting private equity and suggested exploring new space for a Software Park in the state.