'Make in India' not a slogan but a single minded commitment, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Commerce and Industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here today that the 'Make in India' initiative was not just a slogan but a single- minded commitment and added that its objective was to make India a global manufacturing destination.

"Make in India is not a slogan, but a single minded commitment for us. We want to make India a global destination for manufacturing, as it has a huge potential to be so," Sitharaman said during the launch of 'Make in India'.

"World class infrastructure will serve as the impetus for manufacturing. We have identified 25 sectors in which India can be world leaders. We have created a dedicated team to handle investors from across the world. We are constructing dedicated freight and industrial corridors and smart cities," she added.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government's much touted 'Make in India' initiative by unveiling the 'Make in India' brochure at Vigyan Bhawan, where he said that his definition of FDI for the people of India was 'First Develop India'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called 'Make in India' a lion step to usher in increased manufacturing in the country, which will ultimately generate more employment opportunities for the poor and give greater purchasing power in their hands.

"We have to create opportunities of employment. If the poor get jobs, the purchasing power of families will increase. We have to increase manufacturing, and at the same time, ensure that the benefits reach the youth of our nation. This is the step of a lion: Make in India," said Prime Minister Modi.

Prime Minister Modi also added that the mantra of his government was to develop a sense of trust among the people.

"The biggest issue is trust. Why do we not trust our fellow countrymen? I want to change this. The mantra of our government is that we want to trust each and every Indian. The atmosphere of trust can change a lot of things," he said.

The launch of 'Make in India' also witnessed the presence of the country's leading industrialists like Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Tata Group Cyrus Pallonji, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Kenichi Ayukawa, Wipro Chairman Azim Premji, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group Kumar Mangalam Birla and CEO of ICICI Bank Chanda Kochhar.