New Delhi – Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi delivered a powerful address at the inauguration of World Food India 2025, which was at Bharat Mandapam. He promoted India as a top destination for global investment in the food industry by emphasizing the country’s unique diversity, demand, and scale.
India’s ‘ Triple Strength’: A Magnet for Investment
The Prime Minister highlighted that global investors are looking towards India with great optimism. He defined the nation’s unique advantages with the term “triple strength” on the day of World Food India 2025:
Diversity: India has a unique diversity of grain, fruits, and vegetables to eat, and the culinary range changes every hundred kilometers, allowing for exceptional variation.
Demand: A strong domestic demand fuels the sector, driven by a significant demographic shift. In the last decade, 25 crore people have overcome poverty, creating a “neo middle class” that is energetic and aspirational. The aspirations of this class are actively shaping food trends.
- Scale: India is at a robust and truly outside growth scale, making it a compelling and preferred destination for investors.
A Hub of Innovation and Growth
According to Mr. Modi, India is now the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world, and many start-ups have a specific focus on food and agriculture. Young talent are combining technologies using AI, e-commerce, and drones to change supply chain, retail, and processing. “India has diversity, demand and innovation—all key factors that make it the most attractive destination for investment,” the Prime Minister declared.
A Steadfast Contributor to Global Food Security
India has always played a constructive role in dealing with global challenges, and it continues to play a very active role in addressing global food security as well. The agriculture sector of India has grown phenomenally due to government policy and the toil of its farmers and fishermen.
Key statistics highlighted include:
- Largest producer of milk, contributing 25% of the global supply.
- Leading producer of millets.
- The second-largest global producer of rice and wheat.
- Substantial contributor in fruits, vegetables, and fisheries.
Empowering Farmers and Strengthening the Ecosystem
The government has focused on strengthening every stakeholder in the food and nutrition ecosystem.
- Food Processing: The sector has been actively promoted with 100% FDI, the PLI scheme, and an expansion of mega food parks. This has resulted in a twentyfold increase in processing capacity and a doubling of processed food exports over the last ten years.
- Small Farmers: With over 85% of farmers being small or marginal, policies have been designed to empower them. Today, these small farmers are becoming a major market force. The government has established 10,000 Farmer-Producer Organizations (FPOs) since 2014, connecting lakhs of farmers to markets at scale.
- Cooperatives: Cooperatives are giving new strength to the dairy sector and the rural economy. A dedicated ministry has been created to tailor policies for the cooperative sector’s specific needs.
- Fisheries: In the last decade, significant investment in fisheries infrastructure and funding for fishermen has led to increased marine production and exports. This sector now provides employment to nearly three crore people.
Progressive Reforms Driving the Sector
The Prime Minister highlighted the “Next Generation GST reforms,” which are designed to lower costs and increase returns for farmers. Key changes include:
- GST on butter and ghee is now only 5%.
- Over 90% of processed food products fall under the zero or 5% tax category.
- GST on bio-pesticides has been reduced, benefiting organic farmers.
- To promote sustainability, GST on biodegradable packaging has been cut from 18% to 5%.
Reiterating his message from the Red Fort, Shri Modi concluded, “This is the right time to invest and expand in India,” affirming that the nation has opened its doors to the world for collaboration across the entire food chain
Source – Posted On: 25 SEP 2025 8:41PM by PIB Delhi
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2171467
