Kerala’s youth can become powerful brand ambassadors of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, which is guided by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual tools, machine learning, the Internet of Things, and more, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has stated.

“This revolution which is going to happen is largely driven by young minds who are spending a lot of time researching and developing techniques. Kerala, which has several high-performing start-ups, can be a leader in this”, the Minister said on Monday.

She was in Kochi to deliver the keynote address at the Meet the Leaders programme organised by Prof K.V.Thomas Vidhyadhanam Trust.

The world, according to the Finance Minister, is witnessing various kinds of industrial revolutions, and India can emerge as a leader in this arena because the country’s youth are exceptionally talented, dedicating significant time to creating innovative, out-of-the-box solutions. Given that the aspirations of the youth are exceedingly high, the country aims to build on these ambitions without wasting any more time. “We want to achieve goals that many countries have taken 50 years to realize, but we aspire to accomplish that within the next decade, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” Sitharaman stated.

The World Bank and the IMF have recognized that the country will remain the fastest-growing economy even this year, alongside its rapid development as a knowledge hub. “We are living in an India where, at best, people’s efforts are truly paying off, the government’s policies are supportive, and as a result, we are simultaneously driving all levels to ensure that growth is sustained,” the Finance Minister stated.

India is on track to become the second-largest market for e-learning, which currently stands at $6 billion and has the potential to reach $10 billion within the next year, she added.

India has already been recognized by WTO and ranks fourth in digitally delivered services. So in technology-related activities, the country is at a higher level. The setting up of global capability centres in India will give immense opportunities for the young people, she added.