Exit poll 2024: Will the government continue to focus on the Kisaan Drone and other agritech policies?

The exit polls released on Saturday predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could return for a third consecutive term. With this, Indian start-ups and the investor ecosystem are looking at the execution of multiple policies announced by the government to accelerate growth of the ecosystem. 

One of the key focus areas of the Union Budget for the last few years has been drones and application of drones in agriculture. Apart from PLI for drone manufacturing, ‘Kisaan Drone’ has been a key focus for the government since the very early days of its tenure. With this, the government aims to promote crop health monitoring and spraying activities in the agricultural sector. 

In a bid to promote the growth, during the Interim Budget this year, outgoing Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that for FY24, the government has allocated Rs 57 crore for drone and its components manufacturing, up from Rs 33 crore.

On this, agri-drone start-up BharatRohan’s cofounder and director Amandeep Panwar said, “The drone industry stands to benefit significantly from Modi’s continued leadership. While the liberalized drone policy has already set a strong foundation, Modi 3.0 is expected to further boost this sector by focusing on training drone pilots, easing policies for agricultural applications, and subsidising crop monitoring services for Indian farmers.”

Further commenting on the overall agritech sector, he said, “Modi 3.0 promises immense growth. Investments in modernising agriculture and improving rural infrastructure will provide startups like ours with numerous opportunities. The government’s initiatives aimed at doubling farmers’ income through technology-driven solutions align perfectly with our goals.”

In addition, initiatives like Drone Didi and the government and its respective departments came up with multiple efforts to accelerate the agritech growth.

According to Panwar, these initiatives will not only enhance the adoption of drone technology in agriculture but also support startups in developing innovative solutions for various sectors.

Chiming in, Preet Sandhuu, co-founder and chairman, AVPL International, “The entire startup ecosystem in India will see transformative growth. With increased capital, startups can explore new ideas, particularly in clean energy and sustainable technologies, positioning India as a leader in green innovation. Empowering rural youth through entrepreneurship initiatives will spur economic growth in rural areas, fostering a more inclusive and diverse startup environment.”