‘From quick wins to long-term value...’: Harsh Goenka defends Piyush Goyal's 'directional' remarks on Indian startups

When Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal took the stage at Delhi’s Startup Mahakumbh 2025, he didn’t hold back. Taking direct aim at the country’s current startup focus, he questioned whether India was content building hyper-delivery apps and betting platforms while China surged ahead with breakthroughs in AI, EVs, and semiconductors. His remarks triggered a sharp debate — between ambition and accessibility, between dreaming big and creating jobs now.

Goyal’s pointed question — “Should we make ice cream (delivery apps) or make chips (i.e., semiconductors)?” — struck a nerve. He criticized the overemphasis on services designed for comfort, saying, “Are you proud we are creating delivery boys and girls?” Citing India’s STEM prowess, he urged a pivot to “real economic productivity.”

Backing the minister, Harsh Goenka, Chairman of RPG Enterprises, stepped in to contextualise the message. “When Murthy and Subrahmanyan spoke of 70-90 hour work weeks and Piyush Goyal questioned startups making vegan ice creams and chasing 10-minute deliveries, they weren’t being literal — they were being directional,” he wrote on X. “This isn’t about glorifying burnout. It’s about shifting the national mindset — from ease to effort, from quick wins to long-term value.”

Goyal also took aim at online betting apps, many of which have drawn scrutiny for alleged money laundering, calling for startups to steer clear of short-term gimmicks and focus instead on building sectors that “move the needle.”

But not everyone was on board. Social media users called out what they saw as a disconnect between government rhetoric and ground realities. “What can we say when the government itself is busy endorsing rewadi culture?” one post read. “The least the startups are doing is providing employment to millions.”

Another user pushed back on the idea of top-down change: “Easy to blame others. Curb brain drain, reservations in everything, improve infra, investment, tax, education policies, bureaucracy. Ease of everything is the key.”

Others pointed to deeper systemic issues. “We are far behind in adapting innovation in technology,” one wrote, arguing for a complete overhaul of India’s education system. Another noted that while vision is vital, the present cannot be ignored: “Even as we aspire for deeptech... we need to encourage delivery apps and eCommerce... they have generated more than 10 lakh employment.”

And in perhaps the most succinct summation of the moment, one user wrote: “Think big or stay small. Ice cream and speed thrills spike valuations but lack depth. Value lies in transformative tech.”