Piyush Goyal Says ‘Zero Defect, Zero Effect’ Vision of Narendra Modi Central to India’s Manufacturing Growth

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal addressed the first National Quality Conclave organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in collaboration with the Quality Council of India (QCI). Speaking virtually, he outlined the importance of embedding quality across India’s manufacturing and export ecosystem in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s “zero defect, zero effect” vision.

At the National Quality Conclave, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal stated that quality must become central to India’s manufacturing and export strategy during the Amrit Kaal. Referring to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s “zero defect, zero effect” framework and the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, he said India’s target of becoming a $30–35 trillion economy by 2047 rests on zero defect (quality), zero effect (sustainability), and equitable opportunity (inclusivity).

The Conclave was organised by DPIIT in partnership with QCI. Shri Goyal said that sustained economic progress requires India to position itself as a global producer of high-quality goods and services. He stated that Brand India should be associated with quality, reliability and trust. Citing India’s status as the fastest-growing large economy for the past four years and its expected emergence as the third-largest GDP within two to two-and-a-half years, he said the $2 trillion export target — $1 trillion in merchandise and $1 trillion in services within six to seven years — will depend on maintaining strict quality standards.

He noted that nine Free Trade Agreements concluded over the past three to three-and-a-half years with 38 developed countries account for nearly two-thirds of global GDP and trade. According to him, these agreements provide opportunities in sectors such as textiles, leather, footwear and pharmaceuticals, provided Indian products consistently meet global benchmarks. He added that India’s share in global trade remains modest and encouraged industry to utilise expanded access under these agreements.

Referring to earlier practices where domestic consumers sought “export quality” goods, Shri Goyal said uniform quality standards must apply across domestic and export markets. He acknowledged DPIIT and QCI for conducting sector-wide consultations to promote quality awareness at the grassroots level.

He outlined a five-point agenda to institutionalise quality: defining standard operating procedures with strict compliance and inspections from raw materials to finished products; strengthening skilling and re-skilling efforts to improve productivity and reduce wastage, including in textiles; undertaking benchmarking and gap analysis against global best practices; simplifying testing and certification processes to lower costs and delays; and establishing modern, automated testing infrastructure within manufacturing clusters.

Shri Goyal said that financial support would be available for developing testing infrastructure and encouraged industry to seek assistance under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) for meeting international compliance requirements, including REACH regulations, CBAM verification, SPS and TBT measures, and other non-tariff barriers. He noted that such support would particularly assist micro and small enterprises in accessing global markets.

Quoting Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, he reiterated that India must be recognised globally as a guarantee of quality and called for replacing the “chalta hai” mindset with a culture of excellence across all organisational levels.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jitin Prasada said that expanding global opportunities require a transition toward quality-driven manufacturing and stated that the National Quality Conclave will contribute to strengthening India’s global manufacturing position.

Secretary, DPIIT, Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia said coordinated engagement between government, industry and institutions is necessary to build a quality-driven industrial ecosystem. He described quality enhancement as a sustained commitment required to meet global demand and integrate into international supply chains.

Chairperson, QCI, Shri Jaxay Shah stated that quality should extend beyond audits and certifications and become embedded in day-to-day shopfloor practices, describing it as central to Viksit Bharat 2047.

The National Quality Conclave was structured around consultations with industry and MSMEs to incorporate shop-floor and supply-chain insights into policy development and sector-specific quality roadmaps. Series 1 covered four priority sectors — textiles, leather, footwear and pharmaceuticals — selected for export potential, MSME participation and employment contribution.

The engagement process spanned more than twenty cities over two months. In the leather sector, 25+ nationwide consultations and 15+ Gunvatta Manthan dialogues were conducted with 65+ stakeholders and MSMEs. The textiles sector included 30+ nationwide consultations and 10+ Gunvatta Manthan dialogues engaging 10+ stakeholders and MSMEs. The pharmaceuticals sector comprised 7+ nationwide consultations involving 55+ stakeholders and MSMEs. Overall, the initiative covered 14 manufacturing clusters and engaged more than 50 government and regulatory bodies.

DPIIT and QCI stated that the Conclave forms part of an ongoing series of consultations across manufacturing sectors. The outcomes will contribute to the preparation of a National Quality Roadmap for Manufacturing to guide coordinated action among government, regulators and industry.