Laying stress on “zero defect, zero effect on environment” manufacturing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that infinite opportunities await the manufacturers in the changing post-pandemic global supply chain.

The Prime Minister said that the world today is looking at India as a manufacturing powerhouse.

“Today, the world is looking at India as a manufacturing powerhouse. Our manufacturing sector is nearly 15 per cent of our GDP, but there are infinite possibilities with ‘Make In India’. We must work to build a robust manufacturing base in the country in sync with all stakeholders,” the Prime Minister said while virtually addressing a post-budget Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) webinar on ‘Make in India for the World’.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal also attended the webinar.

The Prime Minister also said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply chain across the world was “destroyed, shaking the global economy”.

“This makes ‘Make In India’ far more relevant and important,” he added.

Urging people to focus on the government’s initiative, the Prime Minister said that ‘Make in India’ brings “infinite opportunities”.

“Our country has been blessed with manpower and resources that will significantly help in achieving our goals,” he said.

PM Modi also urged the manufacturers to focus on ‘Zero defect, zero effect on environment’, emphasizing making environmentally friendly products.

“We must focus on ‘Zero defect, zero effect’ because not only does quality matter in a competitive world but also products that are environmentally friendly. We can work keeping in mind both exports and India’s needs. Our products should have zero defects as in a competitive world, quality matters. The world is environmentally conscious, and thus our products should have zero effect on the environment,” he said.

India has undergone a “massive technological revolution” in the last few years, the Prime Minister said, adding that keeping the development goals of the country in mind, “Make in India’ is not only a possibility but a necessity for us.

Noting the rise in the interest of people in electric vehicles, he said, “Indian manufacturers can take a leading role in this sector. We’re dependent on imports for some varieties of steel. Why can we not manufacture it ourselves from the iron ore we export?”

PM Modi also urged the manufacturers to reduce import of medical equipment.

“Medical equipment, too, is being imported by India. I believe we can make them in our country. We must provide indigenous options to our people, who will feel proud in buying Made in India products,” he said. (ANI)