New Delhi: Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not take jobs, but will change the nature of jobs,” Piyush Goyal (Union Minister of Commerce and Industry) said at the TV9 Network What India Thinks Today Global Summit 2025 while addressing a keynote session on ‘Navigating Taxing Times’. The Union Minister spoke on a number of topics, from the manufacturing sector to AI to Trump’s tariff to Tesla cars coming to India. The Summit is currently underway at Bharat Mandapam, Delhi.
India in the global manufacturing market
When asked about India in the global manufacturing market, Goyal said that India offers advantages because it is a democracy where the rule of law prevails. He further said India is a young nation, an aspirational young nation, and the average age is only 28.4 years and is expected to continue to be young for the next 30 years. “Today, we produce the highest number of STEM graduates anywhere in the world, and 43 per cent of them are women, providing diversity to our development agenda,” he emphasised.
Goyal added that the demand that 140 crore Indians bring to the table makes manufacturing a success story in the world market. It is like beads in a necklace. “In several dimensions, India is considered a dependable national or trusted partner that delivers a number of benefits, making India a compelling manufacturing destination. A demographic dividend that demands dependability and diversity makes this country the best destination,” the minister reiterated.
India’s roadmap for GCC and whether AI will take jobs?
Piyush Goyal said that AI will not take jobs but will create opportunities. “An advantage to young India is that this country has a fertile ecosystem, a new ecosystem,” he said. There is an old debate about when computers came in; AI would only create jobs. “The human mind will always prevail. Humans themselves make the best of technologies. The human mind will be a step ahead,” Goyal said, allaying all fears surrounding the AI incoming.
Regarding GCC, Piyush Goyal said one of the learnings from COVID helped the GCC ecosystem prosper in India. During COVID-19, everyone moved into working from home, and many young, talented boys and girls moved home. “The government created an ecosystem; overnight, the broadbands were moved into people’s homes. Overnight permissions were given from special economic zones or export-oriented units to allow all the flexibility that COVID-19 desired or needed. Factories were given flexibility, particularly export-oriented units. There were 24-hour helplines, so every commitment to any country was fulfilled,” he said at the Summit.
Over 1700 GCCs in India employ millions of young men and women.
Goyal added that today, there is no need to fight over visas anymore because many people can do the same job, which is being done across the world, sitting in India. India also has many economically beneficial possessions. He quoted Michael Porter’s words that every country has its own competitive and comparative advantages. When asked about the Make in India initiative, the Union Minister said that every country has the right to protect its national interest and there is nothing wrong with doing so, like India or America first. “Prime Minister Modi said that together, we are a force and have the largest democracy in the world,” he added.
An effort is being made to strengthen the connection between US and India. “When they met in February, the US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Modi decided to work together going forward, and that is what will unfold in the coming months and years,” Goyal informed.
Will we see Tesla cars manufactured in India soon? Goyal left that to interpretation when he replied with a “we will do everything keeping the Nation’s interest in mind.”
