Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday January 25, 2026 addressed the 130th episode of his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', the first edition of the year and one timed with the eve of India's 77th Republic Day. The episode's central theme was Indian startups and the pursuit of excellence in manufacturing. The Prime Minister noted that Indian startups are now active across frontier sectors including artificial intelligence, space, nuclear energy, semiconductors, mobility, green hydrogen, and biotechnology, calling this diversification the hallmark of the country's maturing innovation ecosystem. He highlighted the tenth anniversary milestone of the Startup India initiative, observing that the country has grown from under 500 recognised startups in 2016 to over 2 lakh recognised entities today, making India one of the largest startup hubs in the world. Prime Minister Modi urged the startup community and all manufacturing sectors to place 'quality' at the heart of their work and to make 'excellence' the national benchmark, stressing that Made-in-India products must be synonymous with top-tier standards if India is to achieve its Viksit Bharat by 2047 goal. The address also acknowledged that January 25 is celebrated as National Voters' Day, with the Prime Minister encouraging families and communities to actively support first-time voters, including simple gestures such as celebrating when a young citizen becomes eligible to vote, thereby strengthening democratic participation. He previewed the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026 scheduled at Bharat Mandapam, and referred to the recent State Visit of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan who conveyed that the UAE is celebrating 2026 as the Year of the Family. The broadcast is available across All India Radio, Doordarshan and digital platforms in multiple Indian languages.