Indian Innovation Increases Access to Services: Taranjit Sandhu | So Good News

Indian innovation is providing access to products and services around the world and contributing to sustainability efforts, said India’s ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

Inaugurating the India-US Partnership for Innovation conference virtually in New York on Friday, Sandhu said fresh thinking and innovation will lead to a strong entrepreneurial culture in India.

The conference was jointly organized by the Northeastern University and the Consulate General of India.

Sandhu said the India-US partnership has unique strengths to advance the world of innovation.

“We are already investing in clean energy partnerships, making global supply chains more flexible and harnessing the value of new and emerging technologies. As strategic partners, we have a clear roadmap to innovate, build and thrive,” he said.

“We have been able to bring scale and speed to our innovation. As an example, we have managed more than two billion vaccines to vaccinate our population. We have been equally successful in scaling up vaccine production. Ask any pharma expert and they will tell you how difficult the task is.” “, he said.

Sandhu said India has a similar approach to implementing socio-economic programs, such as opening more than 440 million bank accounts for those at the bottom of the pyramid, issuing unique identification numbers or Aadhaar to more than 1.3 billion people, or distributing 90. million clean cooking gas connections.

“Financial inclusion and digital identity have allowed us to make remittances that directly benefit and provide food for 800 million people during the pandemic. And our fintech products have made us home to 40 percent of digital payments made globally. These numbers give you the scale and unclear about speed,” he said.

“Indian innovation brings access to products and services worldwide,” he said.

Citing the example of a rotavirus vaccine that costs $60 in the US, the ambassador said, “We produced it in India for one dollar. The production of biosimilars is another example of how Indian pharma is bringing. in the availability of the use of otherwise very expensive biological drugs.”

More than 50 percent of US prescriptions are filled by Indian generics. India’s pharmaceutical industry is indeed making healthcare in the US more affordable, he added.

“The Jaipur prosthetic leg, which has brought hope to the lives of millions, is another great example. While an artificial leg costs around $10-12,000 in the US, a Jaipur foot is available for just $70,” he said. .

Sandhu said that India’s innovations and ideas are contributing greatly to sustainability efforts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the global community to embrace LIFE’s mission of ‘A Lifestyle for the Environment’.

“Without changing our behavior and consumption patterns, we cannot justify our commitment to climate change action. India’s leadership in the International Solar Alliance and its National Hydrogen Mission aim to change this. Indian textiles and products from hemp, bamboo, jute and water hyacinth to consumers around the world bringing new environmental values,” he said.

This new thinking and innovation will lead to a strong entrepreneurial culture in India. A thriving startup culture is taking center stage with a young population and a government eager to reform, adopt and adopt ideas, he said.

“Today, our farmers use drone technology to spray pesticides, and geotagging and AI are used to maintain soil health and increase crop production.

“Compared to a paltry number a few years ago, India today has more than 77,000 startups, 107 of which have been named unicorns. Not only that, the startup influx is rapidly changing the contours of India-US interaction as well,” he said. Sandhu.

(Only the headline and image for this report may have been edited by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is generated automatically from the syndicated feed.)