Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday called on Indian science and technology students studying abroad to consider returning to India and contributing to the country's growth. During an interaction with Indian researchers in Berlin, Goyal discussed the possibility of introducing a government-backed programme to bring skilled Indians back home. He also took a dig at Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke while explaining the challenges of implementing initiative aimed at bringing back overseas talents in India.

Goyal Discusses China's Model

During the interaction, Goyal highlighted the large pool of talented Indians working and studying across the world. He asked how India could encourage these professionals and researchers to return and contribute to the country's scientific and technological development.

Referring to China's efforts to bring back scientists and experts from abroad, the minister said India could learn from such initiatives but would need to consider its democratic system and the possibility of misuse. “Wherever you go in the world, you find huge Indian talent. But how do we attract them back to India? But we have to also be careful that there is no misuse. In China, people are afraid of misuse. They can just disappear. If someone misuses it in India, I will disappear," Goyal said as quoted by NDTV

Goyal Takes A Dig At Abhijeet Dipke

When asked whether India could introduce a programme similar to China's, Goyal described the idea as worthwhile but pointed to differences between the two political systems. "It's a good initiative but then comes the difference between dictatorship and democracy," Goyal said. He then referred toDipke while discussing the criticism of such programmes.

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“If we do this, then people like Abhijeet Dipke will come and say that it was the government's job to fund the students, grant scholarships so why should we do it on our own. Am I right or wrong? Unfortunately, such elements will come and mess with our heads. So we have to calibrate our policies from the point of view of our democracy," Goyal said.

Goyal Says German Companies See India As Partner

He also spoke about discussions with leading German companies, including Siemens Healthcare, Bertelsmann Investment, Volkswagen and Skoda. “As I met the leadership of companies like Siemens Healthcare, Bertelsmann Investment, Volkswagen, Skoda, and many more, the CEOs echoed one message: German companies no longer see India only as a market, but as their partner, as a base for manufacturing, for research and development, and for innovation," Goyal said.

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