The share of agriculture in the GDP has declined to 15 per cent in 2022-23 from 35 per cent in 1990-91.
The need for an industrial revolution in India is something that BR Ambedkar had spoken about because Dalits, adivasis and other disadvantaged classes do not own land and can't progress by depending on agriculture for their livelihood, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV's Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Pugalia, the Prime Minister said his experience in Gujarat - where he was the chief minister for over a decade - also helped him understand the need for diversification and reducing India's dependence on agriculture.
Some progress may have already been made. The share of agriculture in India's GDP has declined to 15 per cent in 2022-23 from 35 per cent in 1990-91 due to rapid expansion in the industrial and service sectors, the government had informed the Lok Sabha last year.
"Babasaheb Ambedkar used to say something very important, and this was ignored by our politicians. He used to say an industrial revolution is very important for this country because Dalits and adivasis don't own land and can't do much in agriculture. For them, being part of the industrial revolution is very important. And this is why I think we need to reduce India's dependence on agriculture. There is a huge burden on it today," PM Modi said in Hindi.
Laws don't work for this, the PM said, adding that the way to do it is through diversification. Giving an example, he said, if a family has two sons, one can be in agriculture and another can be a part of an industry, thereby reducing the burden on the sector.
He stressed that industrial development is important to ensure that the agriculture sector remains strong and viable, and said a focus on industries engaged in value addition in the sector as well as diversification is the way forward.
Recounting his learnings from his work in Gujarat, PM Modi said, "It is a state that does not have mineral wealth, except salt. Gujarat was a traders' state. There was a drought ('akaal') for seven out of 10 years, so we were poor in agriculture. We used to buy goods from one place and sell in another and make money. Then there was a revolution, an agricultural revolution, an industrial revolution. This experience is helping me a lot now."
The Prime Minister said schemes like One District One Product are helping with value addition and bringing in technology.
Eye On The Future
The automobile industry and electric vehicles have immense potential in India and his government has also opened up the space sector for increased private investment, which now has several startups leading from the front, the Prime Minister said.
"We were a cellphone importer, now we are the world's second-largest manufacturer. iPhones are being exported all over the world from here. One out of seven iPhones in the world are manufactured in India. Let me tell you about my experience with diamonds in Gujarat... Eight out of 10 diamonds in the world see an Indian's contribution in some way. The next stage is green diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, and we will progress there too," he said.
PM Modi said the semiconductor industry is also coming up in India and the country could emerge as a hub for chips related to transportation.
Another core area, he said, is defence manufacturing.
"Defence production worth nearly Rs 1 lakh crore has started in our country and we have exports worth about Rs 21,000 crore. We used to import everything earlier. Our entrepreneurs now believe they can manufacture, and the world buys from us. So, I believe, India is at the take-off stage in the industrial revolution," he asserted.